Tag Along
by Just a Tad Unhinged
Summary: He saved her way back when and she tagged along. He taught her the ropes and now she's an accomplist. But she's weak, she's a liability, she's a tag along. Now she's tired of being the tag along. RiddickOFC My take on PB.
1. Prolouge:The Duo

_**Hello! First PB fic. Read some others and thought I'd take a go at it!**_

_**Disclaimer: By God, do I wish I owned Vinny-baby and the rights to PB/COR… I don't sadly. I do however own a copy of PB and COR and a Vin Diesel poster, but that's about all… Yep. That's about all.**_

**Prologue: The Duo**

"Keep going you two." The smooth, slightly southern voice of William Johns cracked like a frayed leather whip over the hearing of the two black clad individuals walking in front of him. Both prisoners, chained head-to-toe, blindfolded and sporting gnarly metal bits continued up the docking ramp of the Hunter-Gratzner, not oblivious to the curious gazes of the growing crowd. Letting out a small growl of warning, the bigger of the two soon felt the barrel of a gun between his broad shoulders.

He was bald, 6'2", and made completely of muscle, wearing a black tank top, black cargo pants and black combat boots. **_(Hmmm I wonder who this is)_**

Then second chained individual was considerably smaller and clothed in a black tank top, jeans, and black sneakers. She was barely 5'3" and thin but not fragile with proportional curves. Her light brown hair was tied up in a ponytail, end resting just above the collar of her shirt. She had 3 studs in each earlobe and 2 in the cartilage of her right ear and a thin metal bar going across the cartilage of her left.

They continued up the ramp until Johns stopped them and redirected them around a corner into a long corridor of cryo-tubes. He led them to the far end of the room where two armored cryo-tubes stood.

He tookthe female, who gave a growlof protest, by the arm and led her to the first cryo-tube and chained her in. He closed and locked the door waiting for the "Lockout Protocol, No Early Release" sign to illuminate. Then doing the same to her partner. When all was green, he signaled the Captain, who in turn signaled that it was okay for the other passengers to board.

Before Johns strapped himself into his own cryo-tube, he heard a masculine, Australian accent murmur something along the lines of "I don't feel safe traveling with a bloody convicted felon and his whore."

"Don't worry Zeke there's an officer on board with them, we'll be fine, now get into your chamber," came a Australian female voice.

Johns stepped out of the cryo-tube and up to the couple, _Free-settlers…_ "Don't worry folks those two aren't goin' anywhere but back to Slam. Richard B. Riddick and Shay-Lyn Porter's killin' days are over. Ya'll are safe."

"See Zeke? You're safe."

"Watch our backs, bloke… I don't want those dogs ghostin' my bloody ass."

"You're safe, sir. Now strap in."

With that Johns went back to his cryo-tube and strapped in. His last coherent thought before the cryo's icy fingers found him was _I hope this turns out right._

_**I know it's short but future chapters will be longer by far. REVIEW!**_


	2. Chapter1:Crash Landing

_**Hello me again... Itchin' to update so here! Thanks to buecha, my first reviewer, thanks a bucket! **_

_**I think I've been just a bit to vague in my summary, so let me clear somethin' up real quick: This is set during PB, and I plan to keep everything as close to the actual plot as I can. So every character be there and will have mostly the same dialogue, deaths and so forth. I just have to accommodate slightly for Shay (OC). Jack will be there just not as part of the Riddick pairing, dig?**_

_**This chapter is going to be in the characters pov's… I'm going to start with Riddick, then Shay and finally Johns.**_

_**WARNING: Foul language in this chappie!**_

_**Chapter I: Crash Landing**_

**Riddick's POV**

They say most of your brain shuts down in cryo-sleep. All but the primitive side… the animal side… No wonder I'm still awake… Shay's awake; I can hear her rattling her chains.

Transporting us with civilians. Sounded like 40… 40-plus. Heard an Arab voice, some hoodoo holy man; probably on his way to New Mecca. But what route? What route?

Smelled a woman. Sweat… boots… tool belt… leather… Prospector-type. Free settlers and they only take the back roads…

And here's my real problem, Mr. Johns… blue-eyed devil… Plannin' on takin' us back to Slam. Only this time he picked a ghost lane. A long time between stops… a long time for somethin' to go wrong…

**Shay's POV**

I really, really hate cryo… ya know it gets really boring… but I have to say I hate the bastard that put me here even more. William Johns, Bounty Hunter extraordinaire; what a joke. I wished the prick would just give up already. It's not like he can keep us in custody until we reach Slam. You'd think he'd give up after all this time. And it's not like we're all that dangerous… OK, Riddick is, but I'm not… and it's not like Riddick's some blood thirsty monster or anything, or else he woulda killed me years ago; yeah I know… I'm annoying I admit it.

By the way, while I'm thinking about it… WHY THE HELL DO THESE FUCKING MERCS LIKE THESE FUCKING BITS SO FUCKING MUCH? Bastards probably get off on this type of thing… they're all gay I bet… and Riddick is pretty damn sexy… plus chains and horse bit and the added bonus a few hundred thou when they bring him in… can't say I disagree with them… Brings another thought to mind… what Riddick would think? Bet he likes the attention… naw I'm just kidding… Riddick personifies masculinity; but I bet if I ever voiced the little "opinion" of mine I'd probably end up with a shiv on my neck.

New tangent: That's really screwed up, you know? He saved me back when we were in our teens; I tag along and get pulled under with him…Hell, I'm the only person who gives a flying fuck 'bout him and I get threatened more than the mercs who don't give a shit… fucked up I tell ya…fucken screwed up…Hey, what's that beeping noise? Sounds like some sort of alarm… GODDAMN! What the fuck was that? The whole crappin' ship's shakin' like a mofo… DAMNIT! Ow… that hurt! Everything's goin' bla-

**Johns' pov**

Where the hell am I? I open my eyes to see the inside of a cryo-tube and beyond the hull of the ship… and it comes back to me… Hunter Gratzner taking Riddick and his Whore back to Slam.

Riddick! I open my eyes and relax when I see Riddick's "Lockout Protocol, No Early Release," sign intact and Big Bad himself looking blindly around behind it. I look to the side to make sure that the whore is still in hers, even though I know there's no way in hell she escaped by herself. Not without Big Bad helpin' her. Just a minute…

There's somethin' on her neck… The bitch is bleeding! Dammit! If she dies I don't get paid… let alone what Big Bad will doonce he finds out… Crap…I unbuckle myself and pull the release lever in my chamber, but there's more gravity than I suspected and I get pulled to the ground fast.

I get up, but before I can get to the Shay's chamber, cryo-tubes start getting ripped outta the ship. I grab a nearby pole and hold on for all I'm worth. There's this huge explosion and I get thrown into a corner and everything goes black.

**Riddick's pov**

It's easier to hear now, so I assume my cryo-tube's been broke open. I lift my bound hands to feel for the glass, and since there is none; I can safely assume there is no door to my tube. I crouch down and feel for a shard of glass. I find a fairly sharp one and rip a hole in this shitty-ass blindfold. Good I can see again, bit too bright but I can deal with it. Next objective: Find Johns.

When I find him, he's out cold in a corner. I steal the gun on his belt and continue over to Shay.

She's still in her tube and the door's been broke open; there's blood runnin' down her neck and she's unconscious. Useless bitch… I don't even no why I keep her around…

'**Cause she's hot and one of these days you're lookin' forward to the chance to pounce her…** growls the perpetually horny animal inside me.

_Because she's the only one who gives a flying fuck 'bout your convict ass…_ the "Human" also voices his opinion. Fuck... I'm talkin' to myself and givin' them names…

I pull her out and somehow manage to get her blindfold off so I can check the wound on the back of her head. Nothing serious… she'll live. Hell, I've given her worse for callin' me old… she's only 2 years younger than me… I pat her cheek until she starts to open her big green brown eyes. She mumbles somethin' around the bit and I help her stand up.

She follows as I jump down an open latch leading to another level of cryo-tubes all of which are empty. I hide the gun in plain sight between 2 cryo-tubes and hide Shay underneath some debris. I climb on top of a cryo-tube waitin' for Johns.

**Shay's pov**

'Bout 10 minutes after Riddick hides, I hear John land on this floor. I can hear his footsteps and see the beam of his flashlight. He sees the gun and stops. Suddenly, Riddick's ankle shackles are around his neck, chokin' him. Gotta admit, Riddick's real clever… I sound like a hick… Anyways Johns pulls out his night-stick and starts swingin' at Riddick's leg and Riddick starts to sway. The wires he's hangin' on give way and he falls. Johns jumps to his feet and raises his weapon but stops.

"Someone's gonna get hurt one of these days, and it ain't gonna be me." He smirks.

I shift nervously, knocking over a piece of debris. Johns starts and pulls me out. I try to fight but he raises that damned night-stick of his and everything goes black… again.

**Johns' pov**

Now that the bitch is out, I can get to chainin' these two up again. I throw the whore over my shoulder and put her up on the upper deck and tell one of the survivors to watch her… Paris I think his name was… wimpy-ass. I go back down and drag Big Bad up too.

I chain him to a nearby pole with his arms behind his back and chain the whore across from him with her arms above her head, loopin' her chains through a large metal loop. All of the sudden, I hear masculine screams comin' for somewhere nearby and I leave the 2 unconscious murderers to their dreams.

_**There ya go folks. This chapter's longer than the other one so be happy! Rejoice! Now onto Reviews:**_

**_buecha: Thank you so much for your review!_**

**_Riddick's Sita:_** **_Umm. Yes Jack will show up but Shay(oc) is going to be with Riddick. Thank you for your review! And I get "interesting" alot... I wonder if Interesting is a bad thing..._**

**_TheMoosey: This is a PB-remake type thing. So Johns, Zeke and Shazza will still be alive until their respective deaths in the actual plot of the actual movie, dig? And what do you mean by interesting? I keep getting that and you seem kinda unsure._**

**_Lady Assassin: Thank you kindly! I'm not sure if there's going to be any actual romance until the sequel I planning...(Yeah I know... 2nd chapter and I'm already planning a sequel, I'll have more on it later.) But there might be some one-sided Romance on Shay's part... and Riddick just looking after_ _her... Anyways we'll see as we go, ne_**


	3. Chapter2:Freaky Deaky Ribcage Scenes

_**Thanks reviewers! This is Pitch Black… as in I'm adding a character to PB, the actual movie… I just edited some stuff.. K?**_

_**This chapter will be in Riddick pov and Shay pov**_

**_When I went back and edited this chapter, I added a little about Shay's background and accent, she's from Lupus 4, last planet in the Lupus Solar System. The Lupus planets were colonized by poor New York Refugees after some major war… I'll work more on the planets history if it's ever actually needed but the point is that this history gives Lupians like Shay an accent similar to New Yorkers. This was added just to give Shay more character in the earlier chapters since at this time in the story Shay's character hasn't had time to fully develop. And yes it will come into play later on as Shay starts getting nervous…_**

**Chapter 2: Freaky Deaky Ribcage Scenes**

**Riddick pov**

"Is he really that dangerous?" a smooth female voice flits across my hearing and I turn my head slightly to the side to hear it better.

"Only around humans." That bastard always fillin' people's heads with shit…

"What about the girl?"

"Who? Shay? Naw, she's not all that dangerous, she's fast and she's got a hard right hook but if you're stronger than her, she's a relatively easy target."

"Then why do we have to keep her all chained up?"

"She cares a lot about Riddick, so if we let her go she'll come back and get Riddick."

"Why?" 'Cause I'm sexy.

"From what I understand from her files, when she lived back on Lupus 4, back around 8, 9 years ago, she had a run in with a gang who wanted a little action, Shay became their target. She bumped into Riddick and Riddick saved her, she's tagged along since then. Riddick keeps her around 'cause she's good company and isn't totally useless since she's got some medical trainin' and can pick virtually any lock." Been doin' your homework, merc.

"So you think they're sleepin' together?"

"Wouldn't be surprised…" We're not sleeping together, dammit. Not that I would mind all that much… Shut up Riddick, you're opening a can of worms… big one's… big monster, shit-eating worms that will only cause more problems for you and Shay. As the wise man once said, better leave that house in barn… I'm retarded I swear…

They leave and I start lookin' for a way out. Out of the corner of my uncovered eye, I see a gap in the post I'm chained to and over by Shay's head I can see a cuttin' torch. I slowly stand up and start to pull my arms up behind me dislocating them as I pull them closer to the back of my head an then relocate them. I start to fall as I lose my balance and I land face first in Shay's lap. I grab the torch and start cuttin'.

**Shay's pov**

I hear the sickening pop of limbs relocating themselves and then a muffled "oof" as something heavy and breathin' finds it way to my lap. I open one eye just in time to see one of Riddick's massive hands going for a cuttin' torch next to my head… how the hell the bastard Johns missed that I will never know…JUST a minute… why is Riddick's head in my lap?

He's cuttin' off his manacles, now the shackles around his ankles. He goes for my manacles and once my hands are free and he's workin' on my shackles, I go at the bit in his mouth; I get it and the blindfold off and free my own tongue. I reach into his pocket and pull out his goggles. He's done with my shackles now and he pulls me up as he stands. Keeping me up against his body, he looks around and whispers to me "Stay close…"

I give him a mini-salute and he lets me go; I hand him his goggles and we leave the crashed ship.

Now, you're probably wonderin' why my cheeks aren't on fire right now, right? Why I'm not blushin' like a lovelorn virgin after being up against the sexiest piece of man-flesh this side of the known galaxy? Simple really, I've been gallivanting around said galaxy with that man for 5 years, I've seen him in many states of undress (Yes I do know I am an incredibly lucky woman thank you very much) and he's seen like-wise, so being that close to him is really no biggie. We never crossed the line, mind you, not that I never wanted to or anything… like I said before Riddick IS insanely sexy, it's just never come up is all…By the way, all those rumors Johns spreads around about me bein' his whore, all lies and of course, unfortunately for us he has the whole fucking galaxy eating out of his greasy little hand.

Back to the present situation, we're trudgin' up a sand dune when Riddick stops; I look out from behind him at this canyon filled with the skeletons of massive elephant-like animals. We continue on and we scale this little cliff, I can hear Johns now and his little band of merry followers. Quickly, Riddick grabs my hand and climbs in the vertebra of one of the skeletons. I'm laying on top of him, my back to his chest, as he pulls out a shiv he musta made while we were walkin'. I hold my breath as Johns walks under us holdin' up his big gauge. Once he's gone, we jump down from the vertebra and follow Johns.

Riddick leads us into one of the ribcages of the beasts directly behind Johns and the female crewmember. They're talkin' about the crash and Riddick is no more than 2 or 3 feet behind them yet they still don't notice him. He reaches the shiv out and snips off a piece of the girl's hair as they leave. He starts sniffin' it and I raise an eyebrow, he releases it in the wind as I start chucklin' under my breath.

"What's so funny, Shay?" he grumbles.

"You're such a freak…Do you sniff my hair, too?" I hear my voice… I find it annoying really… the sound of my voice; slightly raspy and a little too high for my liking, then you add my accent, the infamous Lupian accent, and the slight speech impediment that runs in my family… yeah I hate my voice… if I speak to fast, I start to slur my words and words with a whole lot of syllables, like impediment (oh the irony of it) get me all tongue tied…but anyways, I challenged Riddick, big mistake.

He gets up and circles behind me, wrappin' two massive arms around my waist, he pulls me against his chest, "Maybe…" He's playing with the bar in my ear now. God, why is it that that one stupid movement seems to take my breath away ever single fucking time… And another thing how is it that his whole presence bleeds protectiveness, like an older brother or somethin' one minute then the next this erotic air is rollin' off him in waves. So not fair…

I resist the urge to gulp or shiver or somethin' that will tell him I'm nervous, he wants me to squirm, to show emotion, to prove that he's better than me, well screw him… I get a hold on my emotions and smirk over my shoulder at him, "Havin' fun Big Bad?"

"Sure am, Sweet… Why don't we go and play with the survivors back at the ship?" He let's me go unfazed and I turn to face him, one hand on my hip with all my weight on my left leg.

"Sounds good to me, Big Bad."

"Then let's be off, Sweet."

"Yes, let's."

_**TheMoosey: Thank ya! Yeah, mofo… is THE funniest curse word in history and probably something you'll see in Shay's vocabulary quite often and pounce her is a nice PG way to put it…**_

_**Jadrien Riddick: Thank ya so much! I would love a beta reader! And as for Lemons… I'm not quite sure yet but we'll see… ne?**_

_**sitabird3: Thank ya kindly and fair enough.**_

_**Redneck Chick: I LOVE your name! And thank you very much for the vote of confidence.**_


	4. Chapter3:Hundred bottles of shitty wine

_**Hello all... Here's chapter three!**_

_**Story will be in Riddick, Shay, and possibly Johns's point of view.**_

**Chapter 3: Hundred Bottles of Shitty Wine**

**Riddick pov**

"So, Riddick, what's the game plan?"

I looked back at Shay as we approached the crashed ship. "I don't know, Sweet. Why don't we play with 'em a little? You know, make 'em squirm."

"Sounds like a plan, Big Bad." She answered as we dropped into low crouches behind the Englishman's post. The Wimp jumps as a thump is heard from somewhere else in the immediate vicinity… Ooh, big words… Shay would be so proud of me (scoff).

"God, he's such a wimp…"

I look back at her eyebrow raised, skeptical look gracing my oh-so-lovable mug, "If my memory serves me right love… you just jumped as well…"

"Shut up, Riddick."

"Make me, Deary, I dare ya." I shot back, a gamin smile spread across my face.

She rolled her eyes, "For someone so old, you sure are immature…"

"Care to say that again, Bitch?"

"What? Can't take the heat, geezer? Am I too hot for ya?" She gave a sexy little smirk. You want to fuck with me, Princess? I'm game.

I must say I enjoyed watchin' the shock filter through those oh-so-delicate features as I pulled her against my chest.

"Too hot for ya, baby? Oh and remember, you're only two years younger than me… I reckon that makes you old too…" I whisper my mouth moving against the top of her left ear, playin' with the 2 inch long barbell going through the cartilage there, knowing it drives her crazy.

She leans into me, "Not at all, Stud." She smirks cockily and gazes up at me, green eyes sparklin' in barely contained mischief.

I raise an eyebrow as I let her go and start up the post now that the wimp has gone to investigate the aforementioned thump. Shay follows and sits on the arm of the wimp's lawn chair as I sit back and take a long swig of the wimps wine… Never did like wine, much rather have a shot of fire whiskey; ya know stuff that burns… I hand the bottle over to Shay.

"God, this stuff sure ain't worth the money he paid for it, huh?"

"Ain't it the truth… Missin' Lupus Vodka, are we Shay?"

"Hell ya… that and good ole Vespa Fire Whiskey…" She smirks down at me and I chuckle.

Shots are fired as I take another swig of wine. I look toward the survivors to see the Aussie's woman covered in blood with her significant other pointing a gun at a formerly standing stranger… I'm guessing another survivor they accidentally killed thinkin' he was me. Tsk Tsk.

**Shay's pov**

I snap my head as shots are fired. The Aussie has shot a man. Don't know why but by the look on his face, I'd say it was an accident.

"Riddick, what's going on?"

"The Aussie just shot that man, thought it was me…"

"Dumbasses" If they just open their eyes and pull their heads out of their asses they'd be able to see us.

"Yup." Riddick downs some more alcohol before he gets up, pullin' me with him. We start to climb down the post as the Aussie loads the cooling body on a sled and starts toward the graves he was diggin'. Riddick follows but motions for me to stay in the shade, I obey. Riddick knows best of all. Yeah right. I roll my eyes as Riddick starts toward the grave site and I get comfortable.

About ten minutes later, I hear gunshots and screamin'. Thinkin' the worst, I jump to my feet and make my way to the gravesites. When I get there, I see the Aussie's woman, Shazza, I think, staring at Riddick in horror. Riddick spots me and takes off runnin', expectin' me to follow. I move to follow but someone short, skinny and not-so-masculine grabs hold of me. I shake out of the wimp's grip and follow Shazza who's already about 5 feet in front of me.

When I get there Riddick's on the floor and Johns is standin' over him, goggles in hand. Damn sucker-punchin' bastard. I try to get over to Riddick to help him but the wimp grabs me again this time with a better grip. So I'm forced to watch 2 things I'd never thought I'd see happen. 1) They're beatin' up Riddick… not the other way around… That doesn't happen very often. And 2) The person I think is the strongest man in the universe, incapable of feelin' pain, my best friend, is lyin' on the ground, helpless and hurtin'. I think I'm in shock.

By the time, I've popped out of my little monologue, the captain, Fry, I think, has gotten a hold of Shazza, but the bitch is still screamin' to kill Riddick. She kicks Riddick and Johns turns him over and cuffs Riddick. By now I'm just standin' there in shock… They got Riddick first…. That's just plain unusual…. I get caught first not the other way around. THEY'RE SCREWIN' WITH MY SYSTEM! I know that sounds pathetic, but in my crazy, chaotic life, there are few things that stay the same… and I like to cling to those few semblances of order… no matter how pathetic it makes me…

Johns looks at me and smirks at me and saunters over grabbin' my chin and forcin' me to look up at him, "So how does it feel to outlive your boyfriend, bitch?"

I spit at him and he wipes it off his face, lookin' as pissed as ever, "First of all, prick, Riddick isn't dead, he's unconscious. Second, He won't be out for long and you know it so, bastard, it would be in your best interest to move him while you can. And last of all, he's not my boyfriend."

"Right, my apologies, you're his whore."

I act faster than usual and put one of his fingers in my mouth and bite down hard. Johns gasps and jerks his hand out of my mouth, causing more pain. Dumb Bastard… He slaps me, smearing blood all over my face. I smile.

"Addin' insult to injury, are we Johns… You're just not all that smart. You know Riddick will gut you alive for touchin' me, didn't you learn back on Helion 4? From what I remember he left you a nasty little scar… What's worse is you left evidence and once Riddick sees your bloody stump of a finger, he's gonna know it was you…"

Johns growls and slaps cuffs on my wrist and pulls me out of the wimps grip. The wimp was, unfortunately my last vision before somethin' collided with the back of my head and everythin' went black.

_**Reviews !**_

_**Sitabird3: YAY! You love it, that makes me very happy! I know... Riddick and Shay's relationship is gonna be a fun one, right? Thank ya so much!**_

_**Redneck chick: The only one? That's an atrocity… your names so awesome though… And yes it's gonna be Riddick/Shay, they're awesome, no? And thank you! OMG you said Get R Done… that is so awesome I didn't know other people said that… COOL!**_

_**TheMoosey: Yes we all agree Riddick is sexy… Grilled cheese? I'll try that, thank you! And don't fret Jack will not be killed! How could anyone do that? **_

_**Redneck Rampage: Really? You think so? YAY! Thank you!**_

_**ALL MY REVIEWERS MAKE ME SO HAPPY!**_


	5. Chapter4:That smart mouth is gonna get u...

_**Okay, Okay… I get it longer chapter would be much appreciated, ne? Okay I try but I must warn you being a sophomore in high school on the color-guard team (flag team) and theatre with a production fast approaching, in all Honors classes AND expected to get all A's is quite hard… but don't worry lovelies! I will find time for my beloved reviewers! I assure you! I shall be true!**_

_**Redneck Chick: I WILL GIT R DONE!**_

**Chapter 4: That smart mouth is gonna get us killed **

**Shay's pov**

Now I've been in my tight situations with my big burly friend and being that he is very muscular, I've pressed against him in many a tight space many a time in many a way… so I assure you not much shocks me anymore. BUT waking up between his legs IS BY FAR THE WEIRDEST THING EVER!

**_(A/N: Let me explain this a bit more right quick: Riddick in the actual scene from the actual movie is sitting on like some sort of cargo box with his legs apart and his arms chained out to the side, correct? So this is what I am seeing: Riddick (same pose… Drool) with Shay is flat on her ass between his knees, facing out, dig? In other words, Riddick is behind her... Her wrists are chained to the floor… I changed this little fact after a diligent reviewer reminded me that it would be physically impossible for Riddick to lunge at anyone if Shay was attached to his ankles… Back to the Story!)_**

**Normal pov**

"Somethin' wrong, Princess?'

"Nothin' I can't handle, stud..."

"Just making sure..."

Shay started into a fit of violent fake coughs, Riddick grinned. "OH MY GOD! He fuckin' cares! Someone shot me I've seen it all!"

"I just might, Whore."

Shay looked up to the entrance to the compartment to see her favorite 9 ½ fingered merc glaring back.

"What happened to your finger, Johns? Get yourself into fight you couldn't win perhaps? With a certain woman I happen to know, hmm?" Riddick taunted from his seemingly helpless position, his eyes remained closed.

Johns aimed his gun at Riddick, and then smiled like he had just thought of something and turned the gun on Shay. Both Shay and Riddick tensed, Shay, however, seemed less composed than her male counterpart.

"Why don't you tell me what happened to the Free settler and save us both the time?"

"I would if I could, Johns. But sadly, you and your friends jumped to conclusions again… I didn't touch the Aussie bastard. And besides… I've got nowhere to go…" Riddick stated.

"Then what do you suggest did, genius?"

"Oh Why don't you go find out, Johns, then torturing us with your presense…" Shay smirked up at him, "By the way, I feel obligated to remind you that Riddick is technically not a genius…"

Riddick moved his foot slightly and Shay winced as the small move on his part caused her chains to twist her wrist painfully. _God knows how the man can see with his eyes closed… Ouch, Shit, Riddick, stop that!_

"Keep your mouth shut, whore, or I'll pull the trigger."

"Who do you think you foolin'? We all know you won't pull the trigger, I'm a non-negotiable, remember? Let me remind you, It means that if you kill me you get no money."

"You're just pocket change compared to your boyfriend here."

"Do I sense a hint of jealousy there Johns?" Wince as Riddick moves his foot again, "Or are you just too fuckin' stupid to be able to tell when two people are romantically involved?"

Shay's face was snapped to the right as the butt of Johns's gun came barreling into the left side of her face, the momentum of the blow knocking her into Riddick's knee. Riddick growled and tried to launch himself at Johns but was stopped by a foot on his chest pushing him back.

"I wouldn't do that, Riddick, I'll pull the trigger. This bitch has been nothing but trouble for me, so I'll have no problem blowing her brains out."

Riddick sat down and opened his eyes, glaring at him menacingly, "You're already in deep shit from hittin' her when I was out, Johns… You pull that trigger, I dare ya, you pull that trigger and I'll show what happens when people take what's mine…"

"I'm not property you know…"Shay whispered back, seeing as it most likely hurt a lot to speak right now. Both males ignored her and Johns pulled back, and with an angry glare, left.

**Ten minutes later**

"So where's the body?" Fry barreled in to the room, intent on figuring this out and ending it once and for all.

Silence.

"Then tell me about the sounds."

More Silence.

"Fine. If you don't want to talk to me, that's your choice. But, just so you know there's a debate right now, as to whether we should just leave you two here to die." She turned to leave.

"You mean the whispers?" Riddick's rumbling voice broke the silence, shocking both females.

Carolyn took two steps closer, "What whispers?"

"The ones telling me to go for the sweet spot just left of the spine, fourth lumbar down, the abdominal aorta. It's copperish, human blood, cut it with peppermint schnapps and that all goes away -"

"You wanna shock me with the truth now?"

Shay started laughing.

"You people are so afraid of me; usually I'd take that as a compliment, but it's not me you have to worry about."

_**(A/N there's going to be a slight tense change so I can tell this part of the story form a different view… hope it turns out right)**_

"Show me your eyes Riddick…"

"You'd have to come a lot closer for that."

She takes a few steps closer.

"Closer."

A look down at Shay, she wipes her hand on her pants, a few more steps closer.

Suddenly Riddick launches forward, opening his eyes and staring unblinkingly at the woman in front of him. Carolyn nods nervously, shocked.

"Where the hell can I get eyes like that?"

All three look towards the ladder where a kid is hanging off.

"Gotta kill a few people…"

"That's okay, I can do it."

"Then you have to get sent to a slam, one where they tell ya, you'll never see daylight again. You dig up a doctor, and pay him 20 methanol cools to do a surgical shine job on your eyeballs."

"So you see who's sneakin' up behind you?"

Riddick smiles and Shay starts laughing again, "Exactly."

"Enough! Enough leave now."

Riddick sits back down and Shay straightens up.

"Did I kill a few people? Sure. Did I kill Zeke?" Dramatic pause, "No. You got the wrong killer."

"We already looked in the hole."

"Look deeper."

**Another ten minutes later.**

Arguing is heard outside as someone fuming comes stalking in.

Johns comes in and stops glaring at Riddick.

"Something wrong Johns, dear?" Shay taunts from her spot on the floor.

"You're coming with me, whore." Riddick tenses and begins to stand up.

"The hell I am!" Johns unlocks her and pulls her up and points his gun at her head pulling her with him.

"The hell you aren't, I need an insurance policy for this little escapade of the good Captain's and you just happen to be the convenient one."

"Bastard."

"Don't try my patience, bitch. You're lucky you're not 6 feet under yet, so listen up and you might say a live a little longer."

"Whatever you want babydoll."

Johns sneered and pulled her towards the rabbit hole.

**Back to Riddick**

Riddick chuckles and looks back at the door, "That smart mouth is gonna get us killed."

**_Sitabird3: Thank ya dear. I'm all for comedy and Action (plus fluff) So those conversations and the like will be quite frequent! This chapter's a bit longer but I wanted to get the chapter up faster so I ended it sooner then I meant to._**

_**TheMoosey: Thank you so much, your reviews always make me laugh! Say hi to Mildred and Rupert for me!**_

_**Riddick's Sita: Yes, I accomplished my goal! I wanted Riddick to seem more human, so I needed someone to pit against him that was just as sarcastic, but cared enough for him that Riddick couldn't help but care back.**_

_**Roselynn: Thanks for all your reviews but lay it easy on the caps locks girl… you're going to break your keyboard, then how will you review? J/K I think I already have your email from when you last emailed me but give it to me anyways just in case.**_

_**Kiie: Cool name… thank you!**_

_**Redneck Chick: Blushes…. Yeah I had to teach my friends that and I live in Texas… it redneck central man, they should already know! Riddick/Shay all the way… love Riddick/Jack but in this case, it's like child molestation, you know… am I the only one who thinks that? Anyway.. Riddick and Shay all the way! That rhymes!**_


	6. Chapter5:Down the rabbit hole we go

_**W00t w00t! 8 reviews baby! Thank ya'll very much!**_

_**Let's what must I say today? Nothing! So on with the story! YAY!**_

_**Oh yeah, I know this is kind of cliché as far as fics go put I need this to further said fic and help it make sense in the future… so yeah… you'll see what I'm talking about soon… **_

_**Edit note: heh heh heh... this chapter's grammar really sucks for some reason so I went back and editted it hope it's better...**_

_**Let's Git R Done!**_

**Chapter 5: Down the rabbit hole we go, where we'll die, no one knows!**

**Shay's pov**

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate Johns? Pretty sure I have… I also know for sure that he knows it… so why is he TOUCHIN' ME? Here we are trudgin' though the space equivalent to the Goddamned SAHARA and he has the nerve TOUCH ME!

"Keep goin' Shay." If he pushes me one more time, I'm gonna crack…

"Kiss my ass, bastard."

I REALLY need to learn how to shut my mouth. Now, thanks to the butt of Johns' gun I have yet ANOTHER bruise on the OTHER side of my face… If I keep this up I'm gonna end up lookin' like that old earth thing... Barkley… Bernie… somethin' like that. You know the big purple dinosaur thing. But, I've got no time to think about it now seein' as JOHNS JUST PUSHED ME INTO FUCKIN' HOLE!

"What the fuck?"

"Get your skinny white ass in there and find Zeke… got it?"

"And what if I don't wanna?"

"You ain't got a choice, Shay, dearest."

I look back at the hole… now I may not have Riddick's senses and stuff but I know that if Riddick didn't kill the Aussie, none of the other survivor's killed him, and I sure as hell didn't kill him; whatever's in that hole did and there's no way in hell I'm gonna stick my hand out into the fire, I'm not that stupid.

"I don't care if I don't have a choice, Johns, I AIN'T GOIN' IN THERE… You can kiss my ass…"

"Would you rather Riddick eat lead?"

"What do you mean?"

"Either you go in there or Riddick goes to oblivion."

I give a short laugh like I said, I'm not stupid, "Who you tryin' to fool. There's no way in hell you'd kill Riddick…"

"May I remind you, dearest, Riddick's a 'dead or alive' bounty so I don't really have any bones about doin' him in, so you wanna take a chance, babe?"

I give the best glare I can but I doubt it was even worth the effort… I'm not gonna let him kill Riddick… I turn towards the hole and gulp… Well here goes nothin'. I look back up and motion at my shackles hopin' he would at least be decent enough to take them off… no such luck; he just sneers at me and points at the hole.

"JOHNS!" We both look back at Fry; I lift an eyebrow and Johns looks pretty pissed.

"What?"

"Take the shackles off… Are you that indecent? She may be criminal but she at least deserves that…"

Johns growls and looks back at me before jumping into the hole and walking over to me, pulling out the keys to my shackles; he takes them off and sneers at me.

"What? No vodka?"

"Bitch…"

"Alright, Alright I'm goin'…" I know it's stupid to just accept my fate and stroll into the hole that might be the death of me, but what can I say? Getting' a rise out of Johns makes me happy.

As I kneel in front of the hole I mutter, "God… It's dark in there…" I hear this thud to my left and I look down to see a flashlight, I look back up to see Jack smilin' like a maniac. He waves and I give him a thumbs up and grab the flashlight before Johns gives me a boot to the back and shoves me into the hole… I really hate him… I really do…

When I finally got the flashlight on and actually looked at my destination I nearly puked… I mean seriously I been with Riddick and witnessed some of his more disgusting murders for six years and never puked once, but I get in here and the blood splattered all over the wall and all over ME now, the scent of it clse to suffocating me, I wasn't sure if I could take it. Oh we'll nothin' to do but move forward. I continue a couple inches before I see a bloodied flashlight, And I forcibly remind myself… Keep goin' Shay, Keep goin'.

After about another three or four feet I reach the actual cavern part of the hole. I stand up and start walkin' around flashin' the flashlight in the corners of the cave… I'm goin' paranoid I swear; I have this distinct feeling I'm being watched.

SWOOSH

I turn around but there's nothing there. I begin to panic so I blindly back up against until I find the wall. I look down and see Zeke, well Zeke's ankle rather…I scream bloody murder before startin' towards one of the pillars risin' out of the cavern.

SWOOSH

I turn around but this time I manage to see a tail. I look towards the tunnel I came out of just in time to see some lizard-like thing run across the tunnel. Fear wells up inside of me and my throat tightens up, whatever is in this cavern is hunting me. Suddenly something heavy whips against my back causing me to drop the flashlight and fall forward. DAMN!

The thing obviously hadn't expected me to fall seeing as it continued forward until it rammed itself into the wall; its foot catching the ankle I think I might have sprained when I fell. But I don't care; I just get up, panic clouding out the pain and run toward the nearest tower.

Jumping onto a rock, I propel myself into the tower thing with strength I didn't know I had, scrambling up it until the beast's claws grab my left ankle, trying to pull me down. I feel the rock crumbling under my hands as I start kicking my feet and screaming until the thing lets go and I feel hands pull me up and out of the tower.

"What happened?"

"Did you find Zeke?"

"Can you give me a moment?" I gasp out trying to catch my breath. I feel a couple pairs of small hands on my back as I see Jack and Imam's youngest behind me rubbing my back. I smile, I like these two.

"So bitch what did you find?"

I sit down and glare up at him, "Oh a bloody flashlight, a boot with and ankle sticking out of it, some more bruises and giant lizards…" I smile sarcastically up at him.

"What do you mean giant lizards?"

I look over at Shazza, suddenly serious, "There's something in that hole and I'm tellin' you now, whatever it is, IT, not Riddick, killed Zeke, and almost killed me too."

She lowers her head looking apologetic. Good she should be sorry…

"Let's get back to the ship." Johns announces. I roll my eyes but seeing as I wanted as far away as I could get from that hole, I follow.

**Back at the ship: With Johns and Riddick. Normal pov**

"So ya finally found somethin' worst than me, huh?" Riddick smirks and raising his head.

"That's if the whore isn't lyin'."

"If somethin' scared her so much I could smell it all the way back here. I assure she ain't lyin' about it."

Johns just rolls his eyes "So here's the deal: you work without chains, without bit, without shivs; you do what I say when I say it-"

"For what? The honor of goin' back to some asshole of a cell? Fuck you!"

"The truth is I'm tired of chasin' you two…"

"Are you sayin' you're gonna cut us loose?"

"I'm thinkin' ya'll could have died in the crash…"

"My recommendation: do me… Don't take the chance that I might get shiv-happy on your wannabe ass... Ghost me, mother fucker…"

Johns snaps, pulling out his gun and shooting the wall to the side of Riddick's head, Riddick chuckles slightly while letting his arms fall. Shay rushes in, limping slightly on her left leg, Riddick gives her a look and she takes a few steps back.

Johns smirks and lowers the gun, holding out Riddick's goggles, "I want you to remember the way things could have gone and didn't."

Riddick reaches for the goggles before grabbing the gun and holding it to Johns' throat. Johns mumbles a little bit to which Riddick responds, "FUCK YOU!"

Johns mumbles, "Do we have a deal?"

Riddick sighs, "I want you to remember this moment," before throwing down the gun, grabbing his goggles and storming out with Shay in tow.

Once outside, Riddick starts inspecting Shay wounds. Rubbing a rough finger over the new bruise on her cheek, he sighs, "He hit you again didn't he?"

She nods, "I was runnin' my mouth again…"

Riddick chuckles, his goggled eyes continuing down her arms to her raw and bloodied forearms and hands. "Did he do this to you?"

She shakes her head no, "Got those from crawlin' up those tower things," pointing out at said towers.

His eyes roam over to the bloody mess on her knees, motioning towards them as well, "How bout those?"

"From inside the tunnel, Zeke's blood…"

He nods and remembering her limp, pulls her ankle up, taking off her shoe feeling the bone for signs of facture.

"The monster did that?"

Riddick looks up, "What?"

"The thing that got Zeke," she pauses, "Tried to get me too…"

She looks up and he meets her eyes before pulling her and turning around, lifting up her shirt, exposing a big purple bruise running parallel to her spine. "The monster did that too…"

"Why'd you go?"

"What?"

"You've never listened to Johns before, why'd you go?"

"He said he would kill you… I didn't believe him but I didn't want to take the chance…"

"You shouldn't have gone in there, you could've died."

"And then you would've died you're all that I have left… plus who'd keep Johns off me if he ghosted you?" She smirks up at him and he shakes laughing.

"You're insane…"

"Look who's talkin'."

"True… true. Just promise you won't pull that shit again, okay?"

Shay smiles at him, "Whatever stud…"

_**I edited my random tense changes and some spelling errors hopefully it makes more sense. I also got rid of my overuse of bitch somewhat… I think it's better now… hopefully…**_

_**Riddick's Sita: Jack is gonna have that same "hero-worshipper' quality she has in the movie. I'm not gonna change that much of her, if any… I'm happy to know I'm not the only one who thinks that…**_

_**Kiie: Glad to help puff up your self esteem:) Umm… good point… I don't really know hoe Riddick can launch forward with Shay tied to his ankles… but oh well; I'm too lazy to fix it quite yet…**_

_**Fast&FuriousChick: Thank you kindly and I didn't get the last part of your email address put spaces between it. It should work then, k?**_

_**TheMoosey: Don't worry 'bout it, I can understand being busy… Riddick can do everything… that includes rolling your eyes with your eyes closed AND launching yourself forward with someone tied to his ankles… right? And sorry for my overuse of the word, 'whore'… heh heh… I think I overused bitch this time… opps**_

_**werecanigeteyeslikethose: Thank you kindly!**_

_**sitabird3: I love the way it's said in the actual movie with the dramatic pause and sound effects… it's really cool sounding! And thank you to you too!**_

_**Redneck chick: No I haven't has the chance to watch Man of the house yet, but I heard its good… Another one who thinks Pitch Black jack/Riddick is nasty!**_

_**Stephanie: Thank you too!**_


	7. Chapter6:To the Settlement!

_**Wow sorry guys, I haven't updated in a very long while. Mostly because I got grounded from the computer… HEH… hehehehe well yeah. Anyways I got some great reviews for this chapter and I'm ready to start!**_

**Ch 6: To the Settlement!**

**Shay's pov**

Wasn't I complaining about this desert like, I dunno, last chapter or somethin'? Well guess what? We're gallavantin' across it again… Well, I guess it's a little better since Riddick's here, but it's not much better considering they've decided that he'd be better off doin' the grunt work, carrying a battery or something like that, and they didn't even give us breathers!

Well, anyways, back to the desert… It seems while Riddick and I were at large they found an old abandoned settlement with an old skiff, so they're gonna patch it up and see if they get it off the ground, thus the battery, also they want to see if they can get water, which is good because I'm tired of drinking Paris' over-priced crap. Man what I wouldn't give for a good ole bottle of vodka, but of course, Paris wouldn't drink vodka it's too "uncivilized," stuck-up prick. He's really annoying too.

Well, while I'm at it I might as well, analyze my thoughts on the other "Survivors."

Shazza: She's a bitch. That's all there is to it, don't like her one bit, not since she tried to get Riddick killed… On a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being the worst, she's a negative 57…

_**(A/N These aren't my really thoughts on Shazza, I actually quite like her but this would be the way someone close to Riddick would see her, no?)**_

Imam: He's not that bad, a bit to "Holier-than-thou" but not bad… He's a 6… no 5.5…

Imam's oldest: Nothing here, doesn't bother me… though he seems a little wimpy, same for the middle child… no rating here

Imam's youngest: Sweet boy, hero worshipping type…I like him, still seems to be a little skittish but it's to be expected, I am a murderer… well actually Riddick's the murderer… I'm just the accomplice… Anyway, he's an 8.5

Jack: Like the kid, like the kid a lot… another hero-worshipper, asked Johns and Shazza a bit earlier if he could talk to us now… got a very loud NO... cute kid… 9.

Johns: Don't even start me on him… negative 167…

Fry: I actually kind of like her, she stood up for me and Riddick… I'll give a 7… yeah…

Riddick stops and I nearly trip over the sled he's pullin'.

"What the heck?"

He stoops over and picks up a bottle of Paris' wine and opens it as Paris stutters.

"Paris P. Ogilvie. Antiquities dealer. Entrepreneur."

Riddick smirks and sticks his hand out and Paris reluctantly shakes his hand. "Richard B. Riddick. Escaped Convict. Murderer and that's," Points back at me, "Shay-Lyn Porter. Tag-Along."

I flip him the bird and Riddick smirks as he downs some wine before shoving the bottle at me. The wimp mumbles something then scurries off, but who cares this stuff is actually decent; I down the rest of it before throwing over my shoulder and continuing on myself, but that was before a massive arm halts my progress and pulls me against a solid chest.

"Anytime, anyplace, babe" His lips brush against my ear and it takes a little while to figure out what he's talking about.

"Pervy old man..." I elbow him the ribs and try to continue forward before he pulls me back.

"How's your ankle?"

"Stings like the Devil… I think there's salt in the sand…"

"That's good… It'll make it heal faster…"

"I know, but I still stings…"

"Deal with it…" he mutters before Johns looks back at us and Riddick continues forward.

'Deal with it' he says… What if I don't want to bloody deal with it!

I pout and continue after him, when I catch up with him, he raises an eyebrow. I stick my tongue out at him, and in return he sticks his out at me. I huff and try to push him over, but of course he doesn't move an inch… Just smiles smugly at me… Damn Narcissist.

We continue walking, I continue pouting, same old boring stuff. I'm looking down at me feet wondering why I hang around Riddick… kicking at the dirt and muttering stuff under my breath… yes I know I'm being childish but I don't care… Anyways, I'm pondering the meaning of life when Riddick wraps a hand around my forearm drags me closer to him and out from behind a big metal pole… Oh, when did that get there?

"Hey, slut, watch where you're goin', poles don't suit you…" Riddick whispers in my ear and I slap his arm… but does that hurt him? NO! The man can knock me out… Heck… he can **kill** me with one well-placed hit and I can't even fricken dent him… my life is so screwed up…

Anyways we're here… Woohoohoo! Yeah Jubilee and all that good, fun stuff… Yeah who cares? Fry leads us over to a skiff and can you say ratty? Piece of crap's hardly staying together… This is how we're going to fly off this rock… Personally, I'd rather go back down that hole…

"I mean, I can usually appreciate antiques, but this… this..." Paris speaks to my left.

"…Is complete and total shit…I fact it's not even complete… 'magine that…" I muse, earning a nasty glare from Johns, I smile back innocently…

"It's nothing we can't repair so long as the electrical adapts…" Fry responds to my right.

"Didn't know general shittiness was repairable…" I snort.

Johns snaps his head toward me, "Keep your mouth shut Shay," taking a step toward me. I, in turn, step back to find a wall of muscle. I look up and see Riddick glaring at Johns.

"Johns, I wouldn't if I were you," Jack warns from the side.

"Stay out of this…" Johns turns toward Jack "Riddick," he turns back towards us, "Keep her in check…"

Riddick mockingly salutes and Johns looks a little pissed.

"Not a Star Jumper…" Shazza says trying to break the tension.

Riddick turns to her, "Doesn't need to be. Use this to get back up to the Sol-Track shipping lane. Stick out a thumb. Bound to get pick up. Isn't that right," He turns to Fry, "Captain?"

Fry is obviously flustered so she turns away and mutters something along the lines of "Can I get some help here?" Riddick goes around me and starts toward her before Johns cuts him off.

"Check those containers over there for me. And see what we can patch these wings up with. Okay?" He stares Riddick down and Riddick backs up.

Okay remember how when they caught Riddick the first time and I said they were screwing with my system… Yeah just happened again… Riddick obeyed Johns… This planet is bad for the heart… and the eyes. Did I mention it has THREE suns…Riddick must be in pain!

Another thing, I think Fry just dropped a few points in my rating system... needs to stay away from Riddick... Oh and one more thing: I know what you're thinking and I must defend myself… I am not JEALOUS!

_**I'm gonna go ahead and stop here… I know it's short but I need to get this up Kay? I start on the next chapter soon! Okay Reviews!**_

_**Kiie: Okay fixed that… I would assume she would know but then again… ya never know…**_

_**Werecanigeteyeslikethose: Thank you again!**_

_**Redneck chick: I love you! I did at one time think about being a writer but my dad said he wouldn't send me to college to be a writer so I decided I was going to be a crime lab analyst instead!**_

_**Fast&FuriousChick: THANK YOU!**_

_**Riddick's Sita: Thank you! I like Shay to she's fun to write!**_

_**Animagious-White-Tiger: Review 1: Thank you… I'm a detail stickler… yeah it's a compulsion**_

_**Review 2: opps… Thank you! I fix that later…**_

_**Review 3: Yep… I do that a lot… this chapter I had title of the story incorporated so this is what I would consider the start of the main conflict… HEHEHE!**_

_**Review 4: I'm continuing… Gosh… Thank you!**_

_**Charlotte Temples: THANK YOU! I'm so glad Shay's a hit… I was afraid Shay would be seen as a Mary Sue… Whew…**_


	8. Chapter7:Take a Breather, Big Bad

_**Hello… I wish to thank all ya for majorly boosting my fan fiction confidence, before ya'll I was total flop this is my first successful fiction!**_

**Ch 7: Take a breather Big Bad**

_**Riddick's pov (MY GOSH! I'M USING RIDDICK'S POV! I HAVEN'T DONE THIS SINCE… CH. 4!)**_

I'm walkin' around not really doin what Johns asked me to do, but who cares? Shay's walkin behind me poutin about somethin. I'll ask her about that later when kids aren't tryin to tail us… chuckle.

I kneel down and rub the dust off an old pair of broken glasses; my guess? Someone was trying to escape somethin. Their glasses fall off, they step on them in their hurry, but somethin gets them anyways. I look up… 'Coring Room.' I stand up wipin my hands on my pants, tryin the door only to find it locked.

"What's up Riddick?" Shay voices from behind me.

"This is where the settlers hid before what tried to get you got them."

I feel two small hands press against my back; then again everything is small about her. She looks under my arm, and then slips in front of me.

She pulls a bobby pin out of her pocket and starts trying to pick the lock, you didn't think she was completely useless did you?

"Damn the lock is rusted, can't get the damn thing open…." She struggles in vain … never said she was smart.

I hear Johns approaching before he says anything and I turn to look at him.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Shay slips out from behind me, "Would you care if you were?" She raises a skeptical eyebrow.

"Hell no…"

"Thought so…"

"You're missin the party, com'n, boy… and bitch." He whistles and pats his leg.

Shay growls to my left and shakes her fist at him while, in a short lapse in composure, I rip down a tarp concealing a whole in the building or something like that. I'm getting really tired of this. I growl again and as I turn to follow the merc I hear a squeak. I turn back around to see Jack and the youngest pilgrim hiding in the hole. Jack has shaved her head and found some goggles of her own. I smirk bitterly at them, "You're missin the party, Com'n."

_**(A/N I know at this point no one knows that Jack is a girl, but I assume Riddick knew all along)**_

I turn back around and grab Shay's wrist dragging her with me.

**5 minutes later**

I watch Shay chug the water before leanin back satisfied before I chuckle and finish off my own 'quality' water; nasty stuff… we got all the bad water with sediments and crap still in it, but hey, I'm used to it.

"So, who were these people? Miners?" the wimp picks up a rock sample, turning to Shazza.

"Looks like geologists. Ya know an advance team moves around from rock to rock…" she replies.

"Well why did they leave their ship?" Fry looks around at everyone in the room.

A nervous silence

"It's not a ship; it's a skiff, disposable really…" Johns says from my left.

"Like an emergency life raft right?" Paris glances at Johns.

"Sure. Probably had a real drop ship take them off planet?" Shazza interjects hopefully.

Another uneasy yet slightly more hopeful silence

"These people didn't leave. Whatever got Zeke, got them." The room goes cold, it's like I just pissed in their punch bowl. "What? You think they left with their clothes on the hooks and photos on the shelves?"

"They might've had weight limits, you don't know." Shazza cuts in hopefully, Shay scoffs in response.

"I know that you don't prepare your emergency ship unless there's a fucken emergency." Top that bitch.

"Yeah, fucken emergency." Jack decides to interject her opinion.

"Watch your mouth." Johns decides he's the kid's parent.

"So what happened to them?" Fry seems to be the only one willing to see the truth. Or at least peek at it.

I was about to answer when Imam voiced a concern, "Has any one seen the little one?"

"Has anyone looked in the Coring Room?" I smirk. A scream breaks through the silence, perfect timing. Shay jumps. I put a hand on the small of her back to lead her behind the other survivors; all of them running, Imam in the lead.

"Stay behind me after they get the doors open; there's something in there."

She gulps and nods nervously. So she's still skittish about whatever was down that hole. "Don't worry, I've got ya." She looks up at me and gives me a nervous smile.

By the time we get there the other survivors already working on getting the door open.

Johns gets fed up with the door and shoots it open; Shay freezes and I pull her behind me.

Imam shoulders past the rest of us and calls for the little one, my head snaps to the side as we hear noises from a supply closet. Imam runs over to it and jerks the door open as thousands of mini-dinosaur things burst into the room. I push my weight into Shay and in the process push her against the wall. I see Johns fire his gun a couple times and smirk like that's gonna do anything… bastard can't aim for shit.

The monsters circle around the room until they shot down a drill chute. Everyone stands around for a little bit, afraid that if they move the monsters will come back, and then the kid or what's left of him falls out of the supply closet. Imam starts weeping.

"Um Big Bad?"

"Yeah, Shay?"

"Move yer ass."

I let her go and as soon as she sees the kid, the look on her face tells me that she wishes she was back behind me where she can't see anything. Don't get me wrong she's not squeamish or anything but she liked the kid.

**A couple of minutes later after Ali has been buried.**

So here we are, having a powwow around the coring shaft; fun. Shay still refuses to come over here, and prefers to stand in the doorway.

Now for Riddick's expert advice: "Other buildings weren't secure. So they ran in here. Heaviest doors; thought they'd be safe inside, but they forgot to lock the cellar-doors."

I hear the chain-link on the cage around the shaft rattle as Shazza jumps down but who cares? I keep staring down into the hole. She walks into the cage and I can hear Shay walking toward us.

"Here." Shay stops at the door and Shazza tosses her breather at me.

"What? Is it broken?" I throw it down at her feet, I've put up with this "criminals don't deserve squat crap" for too long and I'm pretty sure it's in my best interest not to get my hopes up.

"I was trying to apologize, asshole." Shay looks up at her as she passes out the door and walks in crouches to pick up the breather. She looks up at me before she gets up, her humanity shimmering in those green eyes. She walks over and holds it out to me, humanity turning to a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Go ahead, I don't know how much is still in there and you need more than I do." She looks at the gauge and her eyes soften. She takes a breath and smiles at me.

"There's plenty more; I do believe my opinions of her have changed."

"How's that?" I take a deep breath and put the breather over my shoulder. We start to walk out of the cage.

"Well," She blushes, something I've always found cute, "I REALLY didn't like her earlier, because she hurt you and framed you, but now that she's apologized, I realize that if I was in her shoes and you were in those things'-," She shudders, "– bellies, I would of done the same thing…"

I look at her and smirk slightly, she keeps walking on, and I take hold of her arm and pull her back towards me, "Don't worry about me, Sweet. I'm fine."

"Stubborn ass." I hear her muttering under breath as Carolyn ran past us. Then she says something I don't think I'll ever forget, "Take a breather Big bad, Sweet's not gonna let you fall."

_**Okay got a couple reviews saying that this chapter was sorta confusing so I fixed it and I'm getting ready to work on chapter 9! YAY! Reviews for this chapter will be replied to next chapter…:**_

_**Werecanigeteyeslikethose: Oh I know I don't need to go to college to be a writer; my dad's making me go to college, more like… not that I mind… thanks for the review!**_

_**FluidDegree: Thank you! I glad the teasing between Shay and Riddick is such a hit!**_

_**Fast&FuriousChick: Yes you have, but it's always nice to here, jk! Thank you!**_

_**Riddick's Sita: Mushy stuff… I think this chapter contains some mushy stuff.. there will be more!**_

_**Redneck chick: Thank ya'll so much… you and werecanigeteyeslikethose have really inspired me to consider writing in my spare time**_

_**Animagious-White-Tiger: Yep, you guessed right I am working off the unrated version but also the original script because my mommy took my movie away…and Shay and Riddick will eventually get together… I just haven't figured out quite yet… maybe in the sequel.**_

_**Inkeepingsecrets: I'm glad thank you!**_

_**Adelyte: Thank you… You know? Not one person has complained about the banter… Btw nice name!**_

_**Stableperson: I will thank you!**_

_**Name1: Thank you! Shay is loved yay!**_

_**Okay! Now that it's summer (w00t w00t) I'll be updating more often (hopefully)…**_


	9. Chapter8:Luggage

**_Hullo! How's summer going for you guys? I just got back from South Padre (Tip of Texas, dontcha know!) Anyways, here comes number 9_!**

**Chapter 8: Luggage**

_**Shay's POV (Poll: review and tell me if you are getting sick of Shay's POV and if you'd rather me write it in Riddick's POV more often, honestly, don't be afraid to hurt my feelings…)**_

"Take a breather Big bad, Sweet's not gonna let you fall." Riddick turns around slowly, looking surprised and I instantly regretted that remark.

I open my mouth to say something, anything but Fry saves me the pain as she rushes past, Johns at her heels. Riddick's head shoots up and his eyes follow them and I start to feel that old jealously rise- WHAT? Where did that come from? I AM NOT jealous. Riddick has the right to be with anyone he wants… as long as it's me… GAH! Stop the madness! I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH THAT… t-that… THAT OLD FART!

"Umm Babe?"

"WHAT!" I glare at him furiously, if he wasn't so goddamned hot I wouldn't be in this position… blech, here I go again.

"Don't know what's got you so pissed and I don't care but leave the masochistic suicidal tendencies for later, okay?" Wha? I look down to realize that I've been digging my nails into my left wrist.

"Oh?" I release my wrist and look up at him. He tenderly takes the previously abused wrist like he would a psychopath and leads me to where all the other survivors have congregated.

He releases me as I try to figure out what's going on. Fry's in the middle of the room, hunched over a model of the Tangiers solar system. She's turning this dial which is causing the model planets rotate in a representation of their orbit. She counting under her breath and as I hear her whisper '22', she stops. All the suns are aligned behind a single planet. Total Darkness…

I take a few minutes to figure out what this means, then it hits me, the monsters… they like the darkness. I gulp and shiver, stepping closer to Riddick.

"Eclipse…" Someone gasped.

"Not afraid of the dark are you?" He rumbles to the others.

**Five minutes later**

I'm still shaking; actually it's gotten worse… I hold my hand up to my face and it trembles. Riddick has pulled me behind the model room and is staring down at me intently.

I hold my hands up to my lips and lean against him. He makes no move to comfort me or anything; I don't think I expected him to in the first place but it sure would have been nice.

Then I feel his hands on my hips as he lifts me up and sits me on a crate so I'm eye level with him, I feel like a kid. One hand falls to the top of the crate on my side and the other lands on my head.

"Now you're not crying, are you Sweet?" He's playing with me I know it.

"What d'you think, Big Bad?" I take the bait and glare at him.

"I dunno, Shay I think you were crying…"

"Patronizing Idiot…" I jump off the crates and shove past him, façade back in place.

"'Atta Girl." I roll my eyes at him.

He catches up to me and pats my head, "I was getting worried about you..." He coos.

"Get off you idiot!" He smirks at me and lightly shoves me. I smile and shove him back.

He shakes his head at my feeble attempt to dislodge him and rubs his head, "Well that was fun but I need to shave… somehow…"

"I saw a can of old grease while we were wondering around, you could use that… but now you need something to shave with," He whips out a shiv and I smile, "Problem, solved then. Let's go get that grease then!"

"Lead the way, Shay…"

"Riddick Rhymes… Alliteration!" He rolls his eyes at me.

**ANOTHER Five minutes later**

Riddick plops down in the shade of the skiff and starts to shave, when he's just about done Johns emerges from this peice of junk and begins to hack and shake… damn druggie.

"Bad sign. Shaking like that in this heat." I look back at Riddick he's inspecting the grease on the shiv like Johns' glare is nothing.

"I thought I said no shivs…" He hacks out.

"This? This is personal grooming appliance," I snicker as Johns walks away. After a few minutes Riddick finishes and ventures into the skiff and I try to ignore the fact that Fry's in there.

Actually so busy ignoring it, that the kid's able to sneak up on me. I glance at him and smile, "Like your haircut, who is your stylist?"

He giggles surprisingly high for a boy but I dismiss it… I remember when my brothers during their puberty crap… Wait you don't know about my brothers, do you? Well maybe I'll tell you later.

"Do you love him?" I jump slightly and turn back toward Jack.

"Come again?"

"Do you love him?" He asks more persistently.

"Why d'you ask?"

"Because you act like it…"

"Am I that obvious?" Just a minute did I just admit to loving RIDDICK?

"Well kinda… you're really protective of him even though he doesn't need it, and the look on your face when Johns knocked Riddick out after Zeke was killed was pretty… well I don't know what it was but it confirmed it..."

"Well I suppose I am…" I look down at the kid; he had brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his hand around his hands around his ankles, "Kinda hard not to after all he's done for me…"

"Shay?"

"Hmm?"

"If you don't mind me asking, how'd you meet Riddick?"

"Why?"

"Well's there's a lot of rumors, like he kidnapped you and you got Stockholm Syndrome (1) or he was being chased by some mercs and he used you as a shield and couldn't risk letting you leave…"

"It was nothing like that… Actually believe it or not I met him only a couple of months after his first kill, when he was 19…"

"How old were you?"

"17. I had just run down to the corner store to buy some bread for dinner and one of the minor gangs on Lupus 4, who wanted to get their names on the news, spotted me. Luckily, I was really good at track and they only had switch blades, I was able to outrun most of them until they ran me into a dead end, where Riddick happened to be smoking…"

"Riddick smoked?"

"Used to, we haven't exactly been able to buy him cigs as of late…" I smiled at him again, "Anyways, back then Riddick was usually pretty testy, not all cool and collected like he is now, and the gang made the mistake to try and to get him to leave. Well, he got mad and beat down every last one of them… I got dragged down with him and went to Butcher Bay with him…Been with him ever since…"

"So you guys never… you know?" He was blushing.

"What? Had sex?" I smirk as his blush deepens, "Nope. Not once."

"Reminiscing Shay?" We both jump and turn towards Riddick whose leaning against the skiff. I grin and get up dusting my pants off.

"Just sharing luggage with the kid…" Riddick just shakes his head.

_**There ya go… A look into Shay and Riddick's past together… some fluff... I daresay a good chapter! Reviews:**_

_**Fast&FuriiousChick: Maybe it will maybe it won't don't know yet and thanks for the push!**_

_**FitMama: Mundo Gracias! Glad Shay's so well received**_

_**Animagious-White-Tiger: Thanks for telling me I didn't even notice… fixed it, thank God.**_

_**Redneck chick: Thank you… I know a couple really good fics if you don't mind M-rated fics 'The Sound and The Furyan I and II' by Madame Hardy and 'Oblivion is Now' by Alamo Girl but she hasn't reviewed in awhile…**_

_**Name 1: They just now arrived at the settlement, and Imam's youngest has been killed and the survivors have just found out about the eclipse, Cool?**_

_**Joker: Thank you kindly!**_

_**Nien Zien-ya aka Oni-chan: Oh please do. Thank you or considering my story.**_

_**Sara: It most definitely is so here you go!**_

_**BTW: (1) Stockholm Syndrome, if you don't know, is a mental complication of some kidnappings where the victims start to pity, sumpathize with, oreven love their kidnappers... If I've heard correctly...**_


	10. Chapter9:I told you so

_**Hullo you guys having a nice summer? Guys look! I'm updating faster than usual! Hopefully this chapter will last until the survivors make the decision to take the cells back to the skiff… We shall see, no? **_

**Chapter 9: I told you so _(double digits w00t w00t!)_**

**Shay's Pov**

Okay I'm not sure if Riddick heard my confession and I hope to dear God he didn't because that would make stuff REALLY awkward. And I mean really, REALLY awkward… Right now he's chuckling and shaking his head like nothing amiss so I'm pretty sure he didn't hear me….But I can't help but wondering what would of happened if he DID hear.

Would he drop to his knees and confess his undying love? Pff yeah right… Can you just imagine Riddick on one knee whipping out a huge diamond and asking **me**, of all people, to marry him? Well I can't and I wouldn't want him to for that matter… It's so stereotypically romantic and in turn, so un-Riddick-y. Plus I wouldn't take him seriously and that would probably make him mad. Yep, that's not gonna happen.

I doubt he even LOVES me for that matter. I just can't really imagine that… Riddick and me? I mean I know he CARES about me to some extent but I seriously doubt that he LOVES me and even if he did, I doubt he'd tell me…It just doesn't seem like something I will ever hear him say unless he's playing with me or messing with my mind…

What I CAN see him doing is laughing at me… I can see him staring at me for a while and suddenly bursting out laughing … Telling me that it was a good joke or something.

Seriously I'm not the kind of woman that men want to marry… I'm one of the guys… I'm one of the girls you can sit and watch sports with while drinking cheap beer… someone who will engage in burp-offs and such… not someone you take out to fancy dinners… I don't wear dresses or make-up or do my hair in fancy buns… In short I'm too boyish for my own good... I'm most definitely not-

"-your freaking captain…" Fry rushes past us leaving Imam's last two children in her wake looking confused and hurt.

"What's her beef?" I stare after her; glad she broke me from my thoughts then I notice Riddick's gleefully impish look, "Whatever did you say to her, Riddick dear?"

"Oh nothing just let a certain secret slip… nothing really" I watch his mischievous grin widen dramatically and Jack looks absolutely befuddled. **_(OH that's a funny word…)_**

"Oh and I suspect," Johns rushes out of the same room Fry had been in; looking familiarly pissed and not even noticing us, "this secret has something to do with a little… obsession of Johns's?"

"You catch on fast Shay…"

"It's a gift," I quip patting him on the bicep, and then I freeze. Riddick looks down at me, amused. I raise a shaky finger and point at the horizon where everyone is staring at planetary belt growing from it; the eclipse is coming.

"What do my eyes see?" Paris whispers; taking off his cap.

"If we need anything from the crash ship I suggest we kick on," Shazza starts, "That sand cat it solar…" She turns and leaves.

After about maybe two minutes of gathering necessities, everyone is in the crash ship… except Riddick and Johns.

"Where's Riddick?" Jack says from beside me.

And to that Paris responds: "Leave him, he wouldn't wait for us." I kick him in the back of the head as Riddick jumps off the top of a building. I start laughing.

"Thought we lost you…" Paris mummers before sitting down.

Suddenly Shazza lurches up, "Where's Johns?

"Who cares?" I mutter to Jack. Johns comes out of a room next to us clutching his case of shells and morphine and Riddick helps him into the sand cat before sitting down himself.

After a couple of seconds we come to the big skeleton-thingies again. I look at Jack as he pulls the goggles over his eyes. Riddick chuckles to himself the points out the bone heading for his head. Jack jumps then ducks covering his head with his arms.

Okay so we're racing across the desert… again. My life is SO repetitive. Anyways we're driving, the tension's so thick you can cut it with a knife.

When we finally get there everyone's jumping out of the sand cat in every which way. Riddick, Johns, Fry and Imam head for the cells while Imam's children and I bustle around getting supplies and Shazza and Jack work on keeping the sand cat powered. But by the time we get everything inside the sand cat, Paris needs to get some crap out of a different part of the ship and when he finally gets back we're only able to get maybe 10 yards before the sand cat quits on us.

Okay… but it's fine right? Everything's okay, all we have to do is run back to the ship before night completely falls right? Not right. Just as I was getting my hopes up we hear this screeching; the creatures are coming. Riddick is staring out towards the sand pyres in awe. This is really scary because Riddick isn't awe-struck often… Damn planet…

I can barely see these huge bat-like things flying out of the pyres and I can only imagine what Riddick can see.

"How many are there?" Johns comes to stand at my side; I glance up at him.

It takes Riddick a little while to answer and when he does, I can barely hear him, "Beautiful…"

Imam mumbles something and from the crash ship I can hear Paris yelling, "People! This is just a suggestion, BUT PERHAPS YOU SHOULD FLEE!"

Then as if someone shot a gun or something everyone is running toward the crash ship… except Riddick and Shazza who is cussing out the sand cat.

Riddick is still staring at the pyres and I pull at his hand, "Come on Riddick, Come on." I can hear myself saying but the only thing I'm aware of is my blood rushing in my ears and my fruitless attempts to pull someone twice my size toward the ruins of the ship.

Suddenly he moves and I nearly fall over but he's got me by the waist. So here we are running, all the other survivors (beside Shazza) have already made it to the ship and are yelling for us to come on, the monsters are right behind us but I dare not look back. Suddenly Fry yells, "GET DOWN!" and we (including Shazza) jump into a ditch. Riddick and I are on our sides and Riddick is holding me against him whispering, "Don't get up until I tell you to okay?"

I nod not trusting my voice. And I vaguely hear Jack yelling for Shazza to stay down. I hear footsteps and Riddick rolls us onto my stomach as another wave of monsters flies over us.

Riddick is whispering for me not to look but I hear screams and I raise my head a smidgeon only to see Shazza being ripped in half by the monsters. He gets up and he pulls me up with him, I'm shaking again. We walk over to the ship and Paris suggests that we go inside and yelling at us to "GO! GO GO!"

I'm just about inside when Fry whispers, "What is it? What is it now Riddick?"

I turn around to see both Riddick, goggles on his forehead, and Fry looking out at the pyres which, from what I hear, are crumbling.

"Like I said… It ain't me you gotta worry about." We stare out over the horizon as everything goes black.

I shiver and pull him and Fry inside, luckily they comply.

Once inside Riddick yanks the door close and everything is still and dark. Off to the side I hear Jack mumbling about Shazza and Johns telling her these where the mofos that killed everything on the planet 22 years ago.

I find Riddick with my hands and lean against his shoulder, trying in vain to look at my shaking hands. Then suddenly I feel his closest hand on the small of my back pulling me against his chest. I sigh shakily and let him hold me knowing he probably never do this again.

"I told you not to look…"

"I know, b-but she screamed so loud…" I hear him whispering to me and the sounds of the survivors turning on flashlights and talking amongst themselves; I feel him rubbing my back and the heat of his breath on my ear.

"You're being nice…" I warn against his chest.

I feel more than hear him chuckle, as it makes his chest rumble, "Yeah… well…." He starts, "I figure you aren't feeling too well right now…"

"That's the understatement of the year," I snort.

He sighs than seizes my shoulders and pushes me slightly away from him, "You okay Shay?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you to be strong for me, okay?"

I nod, not sure where this is going. "I need you to do everything I say without hesitation okay?"

"'Course Riddick…"

"Goo-"Suddenly there's a huge crash and the sounds of something scuttling and Riddick pushes me behind him.

_**Okay that was a fun chapter! Reviews! **_

_**Sitabird3: Okay being that you are the only one of two who voted I shall grant your wish! And I know how you feel about not reviewing a story at every update I don't either!**_

_**FluidDegree: He didn't, you are right… And she probably tell him in maybe 2 -3 chapters… near the end of the story…**_

_**FastFuriousChick: I know it is right? (Does a victory dance.)**_

_**Joker: Thank you and you got your wish I updated faster than usual!**_

_**satanicversus: Thank you!**_

_**Ennaejj: Like your name! It's serious? COOL! And here I thought it wasn't serious enough! Thank you!**_

_**Animagious-White-Tiger: I know! "Here is my… BRUSH OF DEATH!" (BANG!)**_

_**Briana: I shall! Here is more! Thank you!**_

_**Nien Zien-ya aka Oni-chan: Thank you! And thank you so much for the beautiful CoR picture! **_

_**See ya!**_


	11. Chapter10:Paris's Shrink Services

_**I'm sooo sorry for not removing but I haven't been feeling the vibe since I moved (aka BAD WRITER'S BLOCK). But, I'm back and ready to PARTAY! By the way: For all you artists out there, if you have been feeling the inspiration vibe, I would be honored to have you guys illustrate my fiction. I truly would, so no need to ask just draw!**_

_**Bring it!**_

**_Edit: I fixed Jack's pronouns in this chapter ( I used she instead of he, making some of my diligent reviewers question my sanity... Okay so they're too wonderful to question my sanity but they should of. NO Shay doesn't know Jack is a girl, she's in the dark about it just like everyone else (with the exception of Riddick, for Riddick knows ALL) it was just a slip up on my part)_**

**Ch. 10: Paris's Shrink Service**

_**Shay's POV ( I try to write in Riddick's POV but it always ends up REALLY sappy and it's just SO much easier to get inside Shay's head… because I created it… so yea)**_

I've always felt weak when compared to Riddick; I'm short, skinny, feminine (compared to Riddick at least). Which is why I tend to run my mouth… excessively shall we say? I tend to portray this façade, this 'tough chick' mask. I make threats I know I can't fulfill because I want to feel empowered, I want to feel like I belong with Riddick… because I don't, I don't belong here alongside the most wanted man in the universe; I simply don't.

I don't live up to my façade normally, so you can just imagine how much I live up to it now, with the monsters on the other side of a flimsy cargo hold door. I'm attached to Riddick like a damn barnacle, man! But I can't help it… ever since that episode in the hole, I haven't been able to push down the fear, I'm truly afraid. I don't think I've ever been this afraid… at least not since I joined Riddick… I know we aren't getting out of here alive… Riddick knows I know it, that's why he's letting me glue myself to him… Because otherwise he would tell me to suck it up.

Right now I can feel his breath on my skin as he whispers to me; trying to calm me down… he has to weld a hole in the wall so we can escape into another part of the ship since the monsters are tearing through the cargo hold door; he has to leave me here for a moment, but he'll be right next to me so I don't have to worry and he'll come back to me soon. I feel one large hand move to lower his goggles so I can't see his shine anymore and the fear begins to build. I squint my eyes as the cutting torch bursts to life and relief rolls over me ever so slightly because I can see him now.

He finishes cutting the hole and hands the torch to Paris as he grabs my wrist pulling me in front of him and through the hole. Once through the hole I feel his hand leave my wrist as it finds its way to my hip and I feel his words on my ear.

"I'm gonna have a look around stay in the light. Do you understand?"

I fumble for his hand, "Don't leave me."

"Shhh… I'll be right back. I'm not gonna leave you, I promise. 2 minutes at most."

I gulp and shiver as his body heat leaves my cold and alone.

_**Paris's POV (I had this profound idea…) **_

She's… different. The convict's woman, I mean. All that confidence, that witty vindictiveness is all but gone. That utter defiance has wasted away and all that's left in those eyes I once thought of as beautiful, is fear.

I watch her stick to the convict like a frightened child and I realize that's what she is… a frightened child hiding behind this mask of defiance and confidence. I mean she can't be any older than maybe 26, I'm nearly 40 now.

This… woman, I find it hard to call her a woman; there's so much she hasn't learned yet. I get the feeling that she was forced to grow up too fast; it's almost as if she living through that teenage 'nobody understands me' phase. I feel as if she hasn't found herself yet. It's an odd feeling to be sure… to feel this way about someone over 20.

I know how to describe her now, I remember the convict using the phrase first. Tag-Along. She's so busy tagging behind Riddick, trying to follow his footsteps, trying to carve out her place by his side, that she hasn't found herself yet. That's it.

_Crash! _I jump and we all turn the light towards the sound out of instinct catching the convict in his eyes. He makes a strangled noise and falls to the ground just as one of the monsters leaps for him. Johns luckily is able to shoot him and the monster in turn falls to the ground. And we discover that the monsters are 'allergic' to light, it scalds them. Good news to be sure!

When I turn back to the girl I find that Riddick has made his un-goggled way back to his woman. And I find another thing… there's a certain softest in his eyes when he looks at the girl. I realize that there is no reason for her to 'carve out' her spot beside him as I said before, because she already has a spot, she just hasn't realized it yet.

That man is so hostile to us and I was sure he was evil, but as look at him holding her, his eyes roving her body for a semblance of injury or harm, I feel as though I am spying on something I shouldn't, like I've been let into their world by accident.

But then again maybe I'm reading too much into this… maybe the care and concern I read in his eyes is just the faint glow of the blowtorch playing tricks in my mind… maybe.

_**Shay's POV**_

"Was that Hasan?" Imam whimpers toward Riddick, who nods semi-sympathetically in response.

"We'll burn a candle for him later, Com'n" Johns as per usual, kills the moment with his sensitivity to the plight of others… yeah we all know about that part of his soul… jeez.

Riddick lets me go to help the survivors push the cargo against the wall and I walk over and stand next to Jack, the poor kid is scared shitless. Eventually everyone is huddled in our little ring of light and I feel Riddick loop a finger through my belt loop and pull me against him. I welcome it. Riddick leaves his hand to rest on my hip… talk about weird.

They start to discuss our light sources because the monsters are afraid of the light.

"I think we might have enough." Fry comes to a conclusion.

"Enough for what?" Johns challenges and I can feel the tension, the hand on my hip twitches.

"We stick to the plan, get the four cells back to the ship and we're off this rock." Fry replies, ever the captain.

"I hate to ruin a beautiful theory with an ugly fact but that sand cat is solar, it won't run at night."

"Then we carry the cells; drag them; whatever it takes."

Frightened silence envelops us. Jack breaks it.

"You mean tonight? With all those things out there?" he's curled up in a ball and he shivers.

"Why not? It sounds fun," I voice trying to sound tough, like I should be.

Johns shoots me a knowing look, he knows I'm afraid, that my façade has faltered.

"Wait; back it up. How long can this eclipse last? An hour, a day?"

"I had the impression from the model that it would be a… lasting darkness." Imam cuts in.

Johns scoffs, "Those suns gotta back up sometime. And if thesebastards are really phobic about light, then we should just sit tight until then."

Fry glares at him and the tension builds again, "I'm sure that's what someone else said, locked inside that coring room."

"Look, we gotta think about everyone here, the kid especially. How scared is he gonna be out there."

"Oh, don't use him like that. He's not a smokescreen." I cut in; he's starting to piss me off… I believe I feel my second wind returning. **_(A/N: i.e. she ready to start trouble) _**I lean foward a little and stare Johns down.

"A smokescreen for what?" Johns sneers at me and Riddick's hand moves up towards my navel, pushing me back toward him.

"For your fear."

"Well, look whose talkin… Feel better now that you're in the light and Riddick's protecting you?" OH NO HE DIDN'T!

"Well it seems an idiot like you picked up on my fear so I must not be trying hard enough to hide it. Or maybe it's just because I'm better at accepting things than you are… not that it takes much to be better than you." Touché! I most definitely am back in business! I step out of Riddick's arms.

Johns takes a step toward me then, thinking better of it, he turns back to Fry as if our little spat never happened.

"I thought so." I snort and he turns back to me.

"Hey why don't you and the captain over there," He shoots a pointed look at Fry, "Shut up and let someone else come up with a plan that doesn't involve MASS SUICIDE."

Two seconds pass and Fry goes in for the kill, "How much you weigh, Johns?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

She raises her voice, "How much?"

"Around 79 kilo-"

"Because you're 79 kilos of gutless white meat and THAT'S why you can't come up with a better plan." I stifle a giggle and Johns advances on me but Riddick's faster and blocks him. Johns raises his gun and places it under Riddick's chin. Only to look down and realize that Riddick's shiv is hovering over his… well you know.

"Please this solves nothing…" Imam sounds exasperated.

Johns chuckles nervously and backs down and Fry continues with her plan but not before I discreetly give her a high-five. We make almost make a better tag team then me and Riddick.

**_So, explanations: I wanted to make this sort of introspective so I used a disinterested third party, i.e. Paris, because despite the cowardice he seems to be the most intelligent and therefore most observational (can anyone think of a better word?) of the other survivors. So there… yea Onto Reviews:_**

_**Firstly I want to thank each and every one of you guys for pulling me out of my rut, so thank you so much!**_

_**FastFuriousChick: Thank you ye faithful reviewer. For you have not given up on me. Gomen for the wait.**_

_**Social Control: Don't worry I won't stop the music! Thank you and Gomen to you as well.**_

_**Briana: Is that kinda like Caffeine withdrawal? If so I know what you're going through and I apologize for the wait, thank you for putting up with me.**_

_**Shadowelf-88: Riddick in a tux… hmmm… I like it… And then the mercs come, he flexes his muscles and bye bye tux, hello wife beater! I like it even better! By the way, thank you and gomen!**_

_**Joker: Well, I wouldn't say better than the movie… just funnier. Thank you and gomen!**_

_**FluidDegree: You betcha he will! (holds a "GO RIDDICK" sign) Huzzah! Thank you and gomen**_

_**Sara: Herre ya go! Gomen and thank you!**_

_**Animagious-White-Tiger: They will eventually but not until the sequel… because I have plans! Thank you and Gomen!**_

_**Nien Zien-ya aka Oni-chan: Don't worry she'll live, cannot have a sequel without her, ne? Thank you and gomen!**_

_**Diesel-Chick: Yes for the love of sexy men I shall continue! Sexy men lovers unite! Thank you and gomen to you as well.**_

_**Rhiw: I'm glad and I hope you still continue to love it! Thank you and gomen!**_

_**Shadowcat: Thank you very much... you are very encouraging. It's relieving to know that Jack (Kyra)/Riddick lovers have a chance at not hating Shay… and to tell the truth a good convincing, older Kyra and Riddick fic makes even me happy every once in awhile, but there aren't many well-written ones anymore and I have a.. shall we say penchant for OCs… I stand accused! Thank you and Gomen**_

_**Lamyka: Thank you as well. I'm glad I'm still getting new screen names on my review page…**_

_**I'm like on cloud nine right now, I'M SO GLAD you guys don't think Shay is a mary sue. I try so hard to make her believable; to give her faults that make sense and strengths that don't make her seem too perfect. And if you guys don't write PB/COR fan fiction yourselves, you have no effin idea how hard it is to pair Riddick with any character other than Jack or Fry. Because you don't want her to be anything like Fry or Jack so you try to make her as different as possible; but at the same time the more 'different' your character is the easier it becomes for critics to label her as a mary sue… so yea it's hard, but wonderful reviewers like you guys help pull us writers through, so kudos to you guys!**_


	12. Chapter11:It Begins

**_Sorry for the wait guys… I wasn't quite sure what to do with this chapter… but I think I got it now…. I also went back and edited and added to previous chapters because every time I read through them to get back into the story, I DROWN in my mistakes…by the way if you see something wrong PLEASE tell me so I can fix it, be nice please… Also, on this note, Animagious-White-Tiger I LOVE YOU, this wonderful reviewer (as well as a great many other reviewers that I can't think of at the moment) has helped me edit most of these chapters even if she doesn't realize it (bows)… _**

_**By the way: I fixed Jack's pronouns in the last chapter; I used she instead of he, making some of my diligent reviewers question my sanity... Okay so they're too wonderful to question my sanity but they should have. NO Shay doesn't know Jack is a girl, she's in the dark about it just like everyone else (with the exception of Riddick, for Riddick knows ALL) it was just a slip up on my part. Opps! Sorry!**_

_**I'll stop talking… now**_

**Chapter 11: It Begins**

**Shay's POV**

"They're afraid of our light, so we don't have to be so afraid of them." Fry leans over Jack trying to calm him down as I begin return to Riddick's side.

I'm about a foot away when Riddick's hand shoots out and grabs my elbow. I look up at him, kinda alarmed; he's glaring at Johns over my head. I turn and look at Johns, but I can't read his expression. His eyes scale my body before he averts his eyes… what the hell? I hear Imam's voice but can't tell what he's saying.

"No, I can't…" I turn back to Fry, she looks nervous, "But he can." I am SO lost… then I realize she's looking over at Riddick and Riddick looks apprehensive… maybe even contemplative, what the fuck is going on?

After a couple minutes of staring dumbly at each other, by the way: I'm still lost; Fry finally moves, the rest of the survivors following after. I move to follow even though I have no idea where I'm going… Tag-along indeed.

The hand on my elbow tenses and pulls me back against that lovely chest that I have become so well acquainted with… I wish I was taller…

"Shay?" I take a step back so I can look up at him, his goggles are off and I shiver.

"Yeah?"

"Stay in front of me and do everything I say, when I say it. Got it?"

"Yeah sure…" He turns away, "Riddick?"

"Yeah?"

"We're gonna make it outta here, right?"

"I don't know."

"That's comforting…" I roll my eyes, "One more thing." He pushes me forward so we join the others; Fry's got the door open, "What the hell is going on?"

"You're useless…" he grumbles from behind me.

"Yeah, well you're no spring chicken either." I stick my tongue out at him.

"Shay, no more playing…"

"Yessir." We're outside of the crash ship and heading toward a different part of the ship to pickup the cells and some more light… Jack told me... love that kid.

"Riddick." Fry whispers and motions for Riddick to get in front and the hand on the small of my back leads me forward. Once in front Riddick takes off his goggles and scans the wreckage.

"Looks clear," Johns shoulders in front of us, a monster jumps out from the wreckage and in one swift yet oddly gentle movement, Riddick pulls me down under him and against the ground, this man never ceases to amaze me.

"You said clear." Johns sputters from our right; I try to move my head so I can see him but only manage to get sand up my nose.

"I said it looks clear." Riddick responds calmly.

"Well what does it look like now?"

Riddick turns his head back, the stubble on his chin brushing the back of my neck. "Looks clear…" I try to chuckle but only end up with more dust up my nose, that's it I'm living in the city for the rest of my life, no more deserts for me.

We finally get up and the whole way back to the other part of the ship, I busy myself with clearing my nose and once in the ship I occupy myself with helping Paris make alcohol lamps while everyone else does what they do.

"So all you drink is wine?" I hesitate; one reason why small talk isn't my friend.

He raises an eyebrow, "Yes mostly, why?"

"No vodka? Fire-whiskey?" I raise an eyebrow back at him.

"No it burns."

"That's the point…" I stare at him, my hands still working at threading the wick through the lamp, "Hence the name; FIRE-whiskey."

He looks unsure of himself… Hoorah for me! "It hurts…"

"Pansy…" I roll my eyes, "I'm half your age and I can take it…"

"How old are you anyway?"

"25."

"And how long have you been drinking?"

I counted it out… "8 years, why?"

"You were under-age…" He looks surprised.

"So?"

"That's illegal." I chuckle and put down the finished the lamp as Riddick passes me, pulling me up with him.

I turn toward Riddick and he looks at me and hands me a wet towel, wet with what? Don't know; don't even want to think about it.

"Clean off all that blood, you might want to change clothes; they know Zeke's blood now."

I nod as he leaves and furrow my brow "Where am I supposed to get new clothes?" Fry taps on my shoulder and hands me what I guess are her clothes.

"Shazza's… She won't need them." She looks a little remorseful, I smile reassuringly. I walk off, clean off and change quickly, t-shirt and loose pants both made of a black cotton spandex-y material. The pants a bit too big and hang off my hips, Shazza had more muscle and was a lot taller than me, but the shirt is tight, I have more boobs, go me. Her leather boots… my feet are big. Riddick 'collects' me and leads me back to the others.

We pass Paris as he gulps down some liquor and spits it into the cigarette lighter he's holding. I jump as the flames lick at my feet, "Hey, Sparky watch were you point that."

"Sorry" he stutters back.

"I'll be running about ten paces ahead," Riddick shields his eyes from the light, "I want light on my back but not in my eyes. And check your cuts these bad boys know our blood now." His tone is business like and I smile at Jack as I pass.

Riddick reaches for the door and I put a hand on his forearm, he's tense. "Riddick, What do I do?" I run to our crisis 'routine.' Mainly consists of me asking Riddick what to do and following orders… pathetic I know but so far he hasn't led me astray… so yeah.

"You'll be running behind Imam where there's more light and you're safer. If anything goes wrong, detach yourself from the group and get to me."

"Kay. Got it." I nod, the apprehension I see in his eyes brings me back to reality and the little world I was existing in for the past thirty minutes has come to a screeching halt and I feel the fear build up in my throat again.

"Shay?"

"Yeah?" I look up at him trying to smile.

"Don't die."

**Riddick's POV**

Her eyes widen and I'm guessing she's finally realizing the shit she's neck deep in. Then she barrels into me burying her face in my chest and wrapping her arms around my stomach, forcibly reminding me of the difference in stature between the two of us.

I wrap my arms around her and wonder. I know I can make it, but can she?

I let go of her and open the door staring into the pink colored darkness around me. So it begins.

_**Sorry for the wait yet again... I have no excuse this time (blush.) Well at this time I usually answer reviews, but the big cheeses upstairs have asked us lowly authors not to do this and to use the new pm system instead. Unfortunately if you do not have an account or simply do not log in before you review, I can't answer them. This leaves only a few solutions, get an account/login, or review then email me… or just email me… But I love reviews and there are people out there that will only look at a story if it has reviews, help boost my stats and review… By the way I'm shooting for 100 reviews… so oblige me. PLEASE?**_


	13. Chapter12:The Mushrooms Hit the Fan

**_Hey guys how are you doing? School starts tomorrow here so it will take a while to get the chapter after this one done… just so's ya know. Anyway, no major announcements besides, I officially have 102 reviews and 2001 hits… Thank you! by the way there's something wrong… on average I have 167 hits a chapter that means statistically around 80 percent of you guys don't review… that wounds me, remember anything and EVERYTHING helps, even it's only a word of encouragement. It helps._**

_**Anyways, let's Git R Done.**_

**Chapter 12: The Shitake Mushrooms Hit the Fan (as you can see I skillfully censored the chapter title, I felt it was appropriate.) **

I'm not afraid at all as I jog behind Imam… Okay so I'm lying, I'm scared shitless, but maybe if I continue to tell myself I'm not afraid, I'll be able to butch up… maybe not… no defiantly not. Not when I can hear every move the predators make, not when I can only barely see Riddick in front of us, not when the fear is so fucking tangible around us I can barely breathe. Shit.

Okay so what do I do? My dad used to say that when you're afraid, you should sing a happy song… but then again that was twenty years ago and back then the only things I was afraid of were bugs, the monster under my bed, and my Uncle Timmy… sooo Maybe that's not the greatest idea… besides Johns looks about ready to shoot anything that moves and I'm pretty sure a round of 'You are my Sunshine' by yours truly won't go over to well.

Behind me the light from the cutting torch goes out and I can hear Paris gasp, everyone turns to look at him, excluding Riddick who's focusing on the desert in front of us.

"Stay close" Imam speaks first, the trek moves on and Paris jogs up close to Jack so he can get another torch. Pansy.

"Wait." I turn to Jack. He's taking off his harness and going after a light Paris knocked out of the bin. I shake my head him bidding him to stay in the light but he goes after the light despite my mental persuasion powers. Scoff.

Then suddenly without me knowing the shit hits the fan. A predator dives for Jack and Imam is able to pull him out of harm's way in the nick of time. Johns is shooting blankly out into the air and almost shoots Fry. And Paris is crawling frantically away from us taking the lights with him.

"Paris get back here" Fry yells as her and Jack crawl after him. I try to dive for the battery powering the lights but it's too late and the lights go out.

I gulp nervously and try to find Riddick. I see the beacon on his back about 10 meters away and I blindly make my way towards him. When I reach him, I can barely see him as he slips into a crouch folding me into his embrace. Just so you know… Riddick is very warm and smells very good… like whiskey and men… yum.

Suddenly there's this bright flash to our left and Riddick stands up, pulling me close.

"Do I even want to know?" I look over Riddick's shoulder at Fry.

"Probably not…" I can only guess, Riddick shrugs.

Then he turns his attention to Jack… I tug at the hem of his shirt and he looks down at me, "Don't worry about it." He smiles down at me and pushes me toward the light. I nod at him.

About 5 minutes later Fry does an inventory of our unused light sources, we're about half out…

"Are we getting close?" I turn to Jack and shrug.

Fry grimaces, "Can we pick up the pace?"

Johns throws down the rope he was pulling and advances on us. Imam cuts him of then they notice it. The sled tracks… we circled.

They approach Riddick and I slide past them.

"I sure he had a reason…" I put my hands up to stop Johns.

"Sure he did…" He sneers at me and pushes past, "You wanna tell me what the hell's going on?"

Imam shoulders past him, "Why have we circled? Are we lost?"

"Listen." Riddick whispers.

"Do you even know where we are?"

"LISTEN!" He jumps up and collects me against him. Then we hear it, the monster screeching and fighting… I shiver and push myself closer to him, "Canyon ahead.. Circled once to buy sometime to think."

Imam shudders, "I think we should go now."

Riddick smirks, "Don't know about that, that's death row up there, especially with the girl bleeding…" Everyone starts, they look at me I shake my head negative. They turn to Fry.

"What the fuck you talking about? She's not cut." Johns stares at Riddick.

"Not her…" He turns toward Jack, "Her…" It hits me and Fry like a tona bricks. Shit! Then the boys catch on. Jack starts.

"You gotta be kidding me." Johns sneers.

I glare at him and make my way toward her as she starts rambling about how it would be better if people thought she was a boy. Fry swears and inches closer to her. She collects her knees to her chest and we try to calm her down.

"They've been nose open for her ever since we left the ship. In case you didn't notice they go off of blood." I make my way back to Riddick, his arm is around me in seconds.

"Look, this isn't going to work, we're.. We're gonna hafta go back."

Johns slowly turns toward her, "What did you say? You were the one that got us out here in the first place and turned us into sled dogs."

"I was wrong I admit it…" Fry shudders, "Can we just go back?"

"I don't Carolyn. Nice breeze… wide open space… I'm starting to enjoy my fucking self."

"What are you high again? Just listen to yourself Johns…"

"No no no… You're right Carolyn, what's to be afraid of? My life's just a steaming pile of meaningless shit anyhow. So I say mush on. The canyon's only a couple hundred meters then it's skiff city. So why do you butch up… stuff a cork in this fucking kid and let's go."

"She's the Captain, we should listen to her." Imam interrupts.

"Listen to her." Johns squints at him, "When she was so willing to sacrifice us all."

"What is he talking about." Jack stands up.

"This does not help us Johns." She tries to speak over Johns' next sentence.

"During the crash she tried to blow the whole passenger cabin, tried to kill us in our sleep." Another cry from Jack.

"Shut your mouth."

"We are fucking disposable. We're just walking ghost to you aren't we?"

Fry lunges at him, "SHUT YOUR FUCKING BLOW HOLE!"

Johns throws her to the ground, "Oh… How much do you weigh now Carolyn?"

_**Here ya go…. You know the drill have fun!**_


	14. Chapter13:What Really Matters

_**Hello all how are ya'll doing? Good I hope. Not much to say this time so I'll continue on.**_

**Chapter 13: What Really Matters**

As I watched Johns throw Fry to the ground, I winced. I knew I should do something, I WANTED to do something, to shove the flare Johns just lit, up his pompous ass. But I couldn't; Riddick was holding me like he knew I was going to do something. I sighed in defeat and made to help Fry up but Imam got to her first and at the same time Riddick turned, pulling me with him.

We walked in silence at the front of the pack for a while, a good ten minutes before Johns's heavy footfalls disturbed my thoughts.

"Ain't all of us going to make it." Johns fell in step beside me and gave me a look, making sure I knew who he thought was going to die.

"Just realized that?" Riddick shifted me to the other side of his body, not even looking at Johns.

"Six of us left. If we could get through that canyon and lose just one, that'd be quite a feat, huh?" Johns eyed me once more before Riddick answered him.

"Not if I'm the one."

"Well what if you're one of five."

Riddick nudged me towards the others, who were traveling 10 feet behind us. "I'm listening…"

"Riddick, I…" Johns eyed me as Riddick smirked wickedly at him and I rethought my words.

"Go Shay…" and I left the man I loved with the lowest form of life in the universe.

They jumped as I approached them, "Shay what's going on?" Fry looked at me.

I shuddered; I knew what was going on, I heard the words as I left. Johns wanted to kill Jack... Riddick wouldn't. Would he? No, I wouldn't lose faith in him now; he wouldn't let Johns push him around. I sighed, shook my head at Fry and went to stand beside Jack.

"Don't worry 'bout it…" I moved to clap Jack on the shoulder but I heard Johns's gauge go off and I bolted for Riddick. I knew I shouldn't have left… I felt an arm around my stomach as Fry yelled for us to move in the opposite direction. I vaguely felt my feet leave the ground as Imam threw me over his shoulder. I could feel the blood in my ears and the strain of my throat, but it didn't matter, Riddick might be on the ground over there, staring down John's rifle, looking at his death and the fucking Chrislam had the nerve to throw me over his fucking shoulder.

After a while, I just gave up struggling, for all I knew my sobs were audible, but why should I care? I turned my head as Fry yelped but I let my head fall back down.

"Back to the ship huh?" I knew that voice; I started to struggle again. "Let her down Holy Man…" Riddick's voice sounded dangerous as Imam let me down and I stared at him in shock as Fry confronted him.

Fry looked shocked, "Get out of our way, Riddick."

"So everyone just huddles together until the lights burn out? Until you can't see what's eating you? Is that the big plan?" Riddick growled out sarcastically.

"Where's Mr. Johns?" Imam gasped out.

"Which half?" Riddick shot back and I shuddered.

"We're gonna lose everyone out here." Jack sniffed and Riddick's head snapped over to her.

"He died fast. And if we got any choice that's the way we should all go out." He circled behind her, squinting from her torch, "Don't you cry for Johns don't you dare."

The second the words left his mouth, Riddick was moving towards me and I flew into his arms. The survivors just stared at me as I embraced the man they considered dangerous, the man they called a murder.

Eventually I let go of him and we continued our journey, we walked for about a half a hour before Riddick called for a break.

I hadn't realized I had stopped moving until I heard Riddick call to me. I looked over at him and then down at his outstretched hand. I tried to smile, but I was so tried, so I simply walked into his open arms.

He led me over to a series of skeletons and I sat down as he made his way over to what looked like a skeleton of the predator in the dark. I must have been dosing off because the next thing I knew my cheek was against Riddick's thigh and I could see his hands moving jerkily, tying something.

"Just because you do not believe in God, does not mean God does not believe in you…" the pilgrim's voice filtered over my ears.

"You think someone can spend half their life in a slam with a horse bit in their mouth and not believe? You think he can start out in some liquor store trash bin, with an umbilical wrapped around his neck and not believe," He paused and I wrapped a hand around his arm, " You got it all wrong holy man, I absolutely believe in God and I absolutely hate him." **_(Yes I know I edited this… I couldn't bring my self to type it… sorry) _**

Imam looked surprised but he defiantly added, "He is with us nonetheless."

"Two of your boys are already dead. How much faith do you have left father?" Riddick taunted up at him. I almost felt bad but in the back of my mind, but the anger at Imam hadn't yet dissolved and I found myself at odds… In the end, I sided with Riddick just like always.

Imam took his liquor lamp with him and we were left in the dark, Riddick finished tying the cells together and I just stared into the darkness too emotionally tired to think or be scared or anything like that.

"What's wrong?"

I looked up knowing I would only be able to see Riddick's eyes and shrugged, "I'm tired."

"Sleep," he ordered and I felt his hand on my shoulder.

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't know…" I yawned against his leg.

"Scared?"

"Probably… emotionally drained more like," I smiled up at him and yawned again.

"It's been a long night…"

I raised an eyebrow at this, "Small talk Riddick? It really has been a long night."

I flinched waiting for him to pinch me, poke me, punch me in the shoulder, anything but the pain never came. I looked up at him, and even though I couldn't see him, with just the look in his eyes I could imagine what his expression must be like. I could only find one word: tired.

I felt my heart soften at this and I tried to stand up as best as I could in the dark without falling over. I felt his hands on my hips and then I felt my hip collide softly with his knee and then my other with his inner thigh.

I tried my best to smile but there was this sudden tension in the air. I saw Riddick's eyes swivel for mine, and then shoot down as he looked at my feet. I closed my eyes knowing they weren't much good at the moment and I suddenly felt this heavy, breathing wait on my chest. I was confused, I knew to whom the mass belonged to but I didn't understand why his head was there in the first place, then I heard Riddick murmur something and the deep vibrations of his voice reverberated through my whole body.

"I don't think they're going to make it."

"What?"

"The others: Fry, Imam… Jack."

"Why?"

"Because when it all comes down to it, they don't matter."

"You're kidding me." I smiled despite myself, I knew he wasn't kidding. He looked up into my eyes and even though his face was nothing but a hazy shadow; I knew that look, "They are not staying on this hell-hole Riddick…" I looked down at my hands, "I can't live with that… that weight on my shoulders."

"Shay, if I have to, I will leave here them to keep you alive."

"I know you will but I- I can't let you do that…"

**Riddick's POV**

"Shay…" I reached up and held her face in my hands… she was crying. I smiled at her and opened my mouth to say something but she cut me off.

"Don't give up on them just yet… they're stronger than I am." She smiled bitterly.

"I don't care Shay, you're all that matters and I'm not leaving you here, even if it means they're going to die."

I watched as she grinded her teeth, "I will not let you leave the only people to ever see as anything more than your whore on this fucking planet."

I sighed and stood up, she couldn't see me but she backed up a step and without thinking I pulled her to me and kissed her.

**Shay's POV**

He kissed just like that. I was shocked to say the least, almost too shocked to respond… almost. When we separated, I sunk against his chest, he wrapped those massive arms around me. I breathed heavily against his shoulder for a minute or two before I caught my breath and cleared my head.

"Why'd you do that?" I breathed against his shoulder, he shrugged and I almost grinned as the muscle rippled against my cheek. I opened my mouth to say something but I was interrupted by Riddick's flinch as the other survivors came toward us ready to move on.

_**I'm sorry I'm so late, I had a play and most nights I didn't get home 'til late. Then I had trouble making this chapter believable… Late is better than Never, right?**_


	15. Chapter14:There's a Fork in the Road

**_I've had 23 effing reviews for this chapter! Lord God Almighty you guys have been busting your asses… Guess I better bust mine too. I am really sorry guys I lost my PB DVD so I couldn't really work it without getting the sequence all wrong and I had this video project that has been controlling my creative mind. But no more excuses the school year has ended for me and I plan to have this story done hopefully this week. I am really excited about doing a COR remake so as soon as the epilogue for this story is done, the prologue for the next story will be up. If you want to get a feel for it the summary is in my bio._**

**_Let's get this party started._**

**Chapter 14: There's a Fork in the Damn Road**

I'm really demented you know? Instead of worrying about, ohI don't know, dying on a waste bucket of a planet; I'm worrying about whether or not the other survivors saw that a… display of affection. It's ridiculous and I know all in all that if a predator gets a hold of me it won't really matter in the grand ole scheme of things… but I really don't care I have been waiting for that kiss since… forever. And I must repeat for good measure: I am demented.

"I only see one way: that way." I looked down at Riddick as he stood from his crouch pointing straight forward through the middle of canyon. I shivered as a predator let out another shrill shriek. "That's the only way off this rock. Just keep the girl between you. Shay, stay in front of me." I looked him in the eyes trying to smile but failing miserably; he avoided my eyes and turned away.

"What about the cells?" He turned his head over his shoulder and his eyes flickered from Fry's face to mine.

"I'll take those," I looked back at Fry to see suspicion written all over her face. I felt my old ire rise as her eyes met mine as if she was trying to decide whether or not we were to be trusted. I bit back a retort and turned back toward Riddick as he shouldered the harness. He looked up at me then averted his gaze so I turned around trying to ignore the indecision in his eyes. I heard his feet shuffle until he was right behind me.

He leaned over until I could feel his breath on my shoulder, "Don't worry Sweet, Big Bad's got ya." He kissed my shoulder and pushed me forward. Before I could turn back to him, he growled at the others, "Move."

Fry looked back, "Are you sure you can keep up?"

"Move."

We began to run again; we had been running for about ten minutes when the predators swooped overhead. Luckily as they neared us the light from our torches would set them on fire; unfortunately Riddick and I that would make a rather hard obstacle to dodge. Suddenly, a thick, pasty, blue liquid started pouring out of the sky. We all stopped and, despite Riddick's warnings, looked up only to see the monsters tearing into each other.

I grimaced closed my eyes and started running again managing to catch Jack's hand and pull her with me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Riddick as he shoved Fry forward. I stopped at a wall of bones and watched as the body parts of dead predators dropped around us. We all stopped and stared up in morbid fascination.

As Riddick neared us he began to yell "Keep moving." He bypassed us all and struggled to pull the cells though while I began pushing the others though the makeshift tunnel in front of me. As soon as Fry got through, the last of Imam's charges started forward until the claw of a dying predator hooked itself around the poor boy's ankle.

I stared as the predator played a game of tug of war with Imam before something inside of my snapped and I felt my foot collide with the predator's head. The boy dropped his lamp as the predator danced between screeching at me and pulling at his prize and the lamp exploded and caused the predator to shrink back give us time to escape.

As I cleared the last bone, I headed off to the side where Imam was wrapping the boy's wound up with a piece of cloth. Riddick continued forward as if we weren't there and Jack turned around to call him back. He ignored her and suddenly a predator attacked Jack and to escape she ran under an overhanging piece of skeleton. The predator landed on the skeleton and the whole structure gave way under its weight, trapping Jack inside.

Fry glanced at me and immediately started trying to get the predator off by shining lights at him in hopes that he would just get off and fly away. The predator ignored us and out of the corner of my eye I saw Riddick turn toward. I looked at him fully as he turned around and called to him until I was smacked against the wall by the predator's tail, followed by the sound of Fry's flashlight smashing against the wall next to me.

I could feel the sparks from the flashlight singe my skin and I vaguely heard the predators screeching and then a rumbled, "Did not know who he was fucking with." But I didn't register who had said it or even bother to open my eyes until I felt Riddick's blood soaked hand on my pulse. I grabbed at his hand and mumbled "I'm alive," before opening my eyes and looking at him.

He shook his head and pulled me up with him with a satisfied, "Good." He looked at the rest of the survivors and turned around, signaling for us to start running. And we ran, Riddick in front and the rest of us following behind, never stopping; only slowing down once in order pick the last Muslim child up.

Then it began to rain. I could hear the sizzling of the torches as the water hit them. We all stopped and stared, staggered by our luck. Riddick began to laugh before turning back to Imam, "So where the hell is your God now?" He taunted.

I watched numbly as Fray, Jack, Imam and the child ran under and overhanging to protect the torches. After they tried and failed to relight Fry's torch I began to feel again. I felt the splash over drops on my tired, overly sensitive shoulders, and the splash of bloody mud on my leg as Riddick dropped the harness and climbed atop a rock to gain a better view. When Fry shouted at Riddick I heard it almost painfully as if she had yelled in my ear; when the Muslim screamed in pain as Imam tore the cloth away from his bleeding leg it echoed against my ear drum causing my head to pound. I could feel the burning behind my eyes as my emotions drifted to the surface and the tightening of my throat and chest as I struggled to control them. I closed my eyes and focused on the way the water felt as it dripped down my body and willed away my headache before looking up into the forcibly impassive eyes of my best friend, the man I had love since the day I met him, the convict that has always made me happy.

He looked at me, pointedly ignoring the pleading blonde behind me as she told him to tell her that the settlement was right there. He swallowed a lump in his throat and told me that we wouldn't make it. Instead of bursting out in all my sobbing glory, I averted my eyes and nodded solemnly before mouthing back, "Then let's die trying." The look in his eyes told me he had no intention of dieing here. I stared him down and in the background I heard the Muslim scream, and to my surprise, I couldn't find a bone in my body that cared. For what right do I have to worry about watching another's path come to a close, when my own path is stretched before me and there's a fork in the damn road?

_**I know it's short but I felt bad for not updating quick enough and since this is the major turning point in the story, I wanted to stop hear… please don't be to angry with me I was in vacation mode…**_


	16. Chapter15:Defy

_**I'm soooo sorry I haven't updated…. I just haven't been very inspired lately… but never fear… one chapter and an epilogue left… then I move on to CoR… which I feel will be a lot more angsty, there will be more fights and therefore a lot of fun to write… I have been soooo looking forward to writing the CoR remake… so here we go…**_

**Chapter 15: Defy**

For the first time since I met her it hurt to look at her. Whether it was the broken hollowness etched into posture and body language, the sad determination set in the lines on her forehead I couldn't remember ever being there, or the fact that every time she looked into my eyes, I could see all those abandoned dreams… dreams I made her abandon when I took her off of Lupus 4; I truly don't know or care, but I'd be damned if I let the woman kill herself with her naïve 'save everyone plan.' Even if it cost everyone else's life on this planet to save her, it was a cost I was willing to pay… if only she'd let me… maybe that's why it hurt…

Damn it…

"Please tell me the settlement is right there!" Fry shouts at us; I swallowed and she looked up at me.

"We won't make it." I whispered to her over the rain spattering in the mud. Her back straightened and her eyes blazed; green eyes if I remember correctly… it's been awhile since I saw color… I think I might miss it…

"Then let's die trying." I opened my mouth to reply, but the Muslim's last charge screamed… a monster got him… I looked over instinctively to see who was left and when I turned back I saw it; defiance. Her back was rigid and her shoulders pulled back and the clinical part of my brain that mechanically equated everything with animalistic behavior so I could react, told me she was trying to make herself appear bigger and more formidable.

She didn't have to try; she already scared the living hell outta me. For the first time ever, she was standing up to me; and she couldn't have picked a worse time. I shook my head and bent over to pick up the harness, I would deal with her when the time came, that was the only way I could handle it right now. I yelled a hoarse 'move' at them and she herded everyone together; the ghost of a kind smile lit her pale lips.

We ran for about thirty minutes, she ran slightly behind me to keep me from running off. Then I spotted the hole in the canyon wall… I'd leave them there; hide them, make it seem like I'd come back for them and we would leave.

"Hide here!" I yelled and herded them into the hole. I had to stop her from entering the hole.

"I'll only slow you down, get the cells to the skiff and come back for us." Her eyes were suspicious; she knew I had no intention of coming back. I didn't give in.

"No you're coming with me." I pulled her roughly out of the entrance but she pulled back just as roughly.

"Promise me we'll come back." I lowered my eyes and shouldered her out of the way pushing the bones of some long dead beast into the gap. She stared at me at then quietly added, "Riddick please…"

I grabbed her wrist in favor of replying and started dragging her to the skiff. For about the first ten minutes, she struggled and cussed up a storm but she quieted eventually and the journey went faster. When we made it to the skiff I grinned… the first real grin in awhile; we had made it. I dropped her hand, dragged the cells into the skiff and looked back at her.

She was still standing in the rain, hollowly staring at my muddy footprint on the gangplank. I held my hand out to her but she didn't respond. I walked out into the rain and put my hand on her back, guiding her towards the gangplank. She took one step and then collapsed. I sighed.

"I'm gonna hook up the cells; stay here." She didn't move, so I walked back up the gangplank and started hooking the cells up keeping an eye on her. Then I broke my harness light, I looked back up at her, but she hadn't noticed, she had gotten up and was now staring out into the darkness. "Sweet…" She didn't acknowledge me, "Baby, we gotta go, c'mon get in the skiff."

She turned her head towards me then bolted. I had her back in the skiff up against the wall in a matter of seconds. I snarled at her and she let out a strangled sob.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going back for them!"

"I see that."

"Then why the fuck aren't you letting me go?" She struggled, her eyes wild, and I hoisted her higher up the wall and she winced.

"Are you insane? You think I'm going to fucking let you go kill yourself. They aren't worth it."

She stopped struggling and stared down at me, "The fuck they aren't…"

I sneered at her, disgusted, "What makes them so fucking special?"

"What makes me so special? Why the hell am I worth so much to you, huh, Riddick? Do you just like having me around or do you get your rocks off on me fumbling around and tagging along behind you like a fucking puppy?" She choked out a half-chuckle, "Hell maybe, Johns was right all these years… maybe you just think of me as your whore. You always did find it amusing when you were younger… I remember a couple of times where you tried-"

"I was a horny bastard when I-"

"You still are." I stared at her opening and closing my mouth, for once in my life completely speechless. Then her eyes flicked over my shoulder. I let her down and turned towards the new arrival.

"Strong survival instincts; I admire that in a woman." I grinned and glanced at Shay then back at Fry. She looked hollow… and it scared me even in the face of the righteous fury that was Caroline Fry and all the other shit that was wrong with this planet… the kid who had wormed her way under my skin… the old man you made me feel guilty about the crap I've done in this shipwreck of a life... the things I've put Shay through…

"I promised them that we'd go back with more light…" I chuckled and leaned forward.

"Did you? Hmm…"

Fry glanced at Shay as she slid down the skiff wall next to me, then threw her whiskey bottle lamp in the mud, "What? You afraid?"

I laughed and grinned, "Me, afraid?"

"Oh come on Riddick, some part of you wants to rejoin the human race…"

Shay scoffed into her arms and I sobered and lowered myself onto my haunches, "Truthfully, I wouldn't know how…"

"Well then just give me more light for them, and I'll go back by myself."

I shrugged and threw her the broken light, "Okay. There ya go." Then the well broke.

Her chin quivered, "Please just come with me…"

She played right into my hand, "I got a better idea. Why don't you come with us?" Shay shoot to her feet and her eyes scrutinized the back of my head suspiciously.

Fry noticed and gaped at me, "You're fucking with me; I know you are…"

"You know I am?" I mocked standing up, "You don't know anything about me. I will leave you here. Step inside."

Fry landed on her knees softly and doubled over, "I can't… I can't…" she trailed off into sobs.

"Sure you can. Here I'll make it easy on you," I extended my hand to her, hanging off the gangplank… when the hell did I become so weak? Tears never affected me before, why now. "Take my hand… come on," she didn't respond, "Look, no one's going to blame you, save yourself Carolyn."

"P-please…" She sobbed loudly.

"Come on," I stepped out and pulled her to her feet, pushing her lightly onto the gangplank, relishing in the confused hard expression on Shay's face; she didn't know whether to be jealous or compassionate… In the end compassion won out and she stepped over to help Fry in… good girl.

I heard a predator screech behind me so I turned back. I heard them whispering, but I never anticipated to feel Carolyn's small body crash into mine. I fell to the ground with a grunt and the shiv in my boot fell out. Out of the corner of my I saw Shay's hand pick up the shiv.

"Now you listen to me!" I focused one the woman on top of me, "I am the captain of ship! And I am not leaving anybody on this rock with those fucking thing, even if that means-" She tried to punch me but I caught her hand and threw off. I got to my knees, pulled Carolyn underneath and held my hand out for the shiv… which never came.

"Shay, give me the shiv…" Carolyn tried to speak but I cut her off, "SHUT UP! Shay, give me the shiv."

She stared me down, "No."

"Give me the shiv now."

She flinched but squared her shoulders, "No."

I stared her down, she was picking some woman she just met over me. I turned back to the woman under me, "You'd die for them?"

"I'd try for them."

"You didn't answer me."

"Yes. Yes, I would, Riddick. I would die for them."

"And how 'bout you Shay? Would you die for them?"

Her eyes weakened but her voice was resolute, "Yes."

"How interesting…" Riddick grinned grimly and let Carolyn up, "Both of you would die for people you barely know…"

"Yes we would, so let's go and get them. Then we can get off this shit hole."

I turned to Shay as she closed her mouth, "You're staying here." I silenced her when she opened her mouth again. "Stay here and keep the skiff safe. I'll be back with the others then we can leave."

"Okay." She gave a small smile and sheepishly held my shiv out to me. I took it and pulled her into my arms.

"I'll be back, Shay, I promise." She nodded and backed up into the skiff.

"Go on then." I nodded then nodded to Fry. And we went.

**_Shay's POV_**

It took me awhile to calm down after Riddick left with Fry… I knew that if worse came to worse I'd be screwed… but that didn't matter to me, instead the only thing running though my mind was the last things I had said to Riddick. If he died out there, he would die thinking that I thought he was a 'horny bastard;' he would die out there thinking that I didn't appreciate all the things he had done for me, that I didn't care about all the sacrifices he's made for me…

After nearly an hour I heard the distinct splash of human footprints and I rushed out into the rain to help Imam and Jack into the skiff. Then I realized that Riddick wasn't with them.

"Where's Riddick?" Fry glanced up at me, out into the darkness and then back at Imam and Jack. Imam just shrugged and motioned for us to join them... to leave. After all they had a pilot what did they need Riddick for? I felt the rage build in the back of my throat. Riddick put his life on the line to go back and get these bastards, and they had the balls to suggest we leave him behind. "You shit-eating bastards how dare you-" Then we heard a scream…

I bolted for the darkness but Imam managed to grab me first. This time it wouldn't work… this time I was fucking going for the man I loved regardless of what Imam thought.

"Let me go." I stopped fighting and looked up Fry when she spoke.

"What" I squinted at her.

"Let me go. I am the captain it is my responsibility to make sure everyone gets to the skiff. Let me go, I promise to bring him back." I just gaped at her, "I promise." I nodded dumbly and mouthed, 'please.' She seemed to understand.

It was a whole another twenty minutes before we heard more footsteps sloshing through the rain I looked up and jumped from my vigil on the gangplank to seem a lone figure in the rain.

Riddick… He was stumbling and blood was flowing freely out of his leg. I rushed out to meet him smiling, and then I realized that Fry wasn't with him.

"Riddick… where's Fry?" He looked up and I knew… she had died to save him. I ran the rest of the way out to him and supported him on his way back to the skiff.

Once inside Riddick started to immediately prepare for flight and I slumped into the co-pilot's chair. Then suddenly Riddick began to turn off the skiff.

"Riddick, what are you doing?" Jack whispered from behind us; the monsters were on the skiff now, scratching and clawing at the roof, "Can we just get the hell out of here?"

Riddick set his jaw, "Can't leave… without saying goodnight." He suddenly turned everything on at once, burning all of the monsters around us and took off.

I spent the next couple of minutes while Riddick got the skiff in the air, contemplating what I could possibly say to him. I knew I wouldn't apologize… about wanting to save them I mean… but I couldn't get over what I had said to him before Fry showed up. I figured I'd just have to let him come to me; it was usually like that when we argued. A voice in the back of my head questioned that. _How do you even know he wants to talk to you... this is one of your silly verbal spats... This time it's serious_ it whipered in my ear. Then I felt the weight of Riddick's hand on my wrist.

I looked up and he was still staring into space. I smiled weakly and took his hand into mine, only to feel him tug at it. I looked at him confused but he still didn't look at me, instead he tugged again guiding me to stand up and then guiding me into his lap. I felt my chin quiver as I folded myself against him and when his lips brushed the top of my head, I felt the dam break. And so I cried. A couple minutes later, I heard a shuffle of feet and Jack landed in the co-pilot chair.

We both looked at her and she gave me a small smile; she strapped herself into the seat then looked back at Riddick, "A lot of questions, whoever we run into; could even be a merc ship. So… what the hell do we tell them about you?"

He looked at her then smirked, "Tell 'em Riddick's dead. He died somewhere on that planet."

_**Now all there is to do is an epilogue…then onto the sequel! YAH!**_


	17. Epilogue:Left

**_I just finished watching this week (week7) of Rockstar: Supernova… and let me just tell ya girls…. Toby just made a great many straight/bi girls and gay men very happy… Thank God he's not gay! ANYWAYS! Last chapter! I'd like to thank all the little people j/k… as well as all 45 viewers that favorited/alerted me (yes, even the ones that didn't review…grrr) and all of my regular reviewers I LOVE YOU GUYS YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!_**

**_Anyways let's get this done so I can start on CoR! YEAH! A warning before we start: chapter deals with depression and alcohol… and it might hint at suggestive material… we'll see when we're done._**

**Epilogue: Left**

They spent a couple of weeks licking their wounds on New Mecca; Shay's ankle and back hurt, Imam had sunk into depression, Jack was afraid of the dark and though he rarely said anything Riddick had his own list of grievances. His eyes were inconstant pain with or without his goggles and the hollowness that comes with having your world turned upside down had settled in the pit of his stomach. He rarely talked and though he slept in the same room as Shay, they never seemed further apart.

It seemed that their differences finally made a difference; Shay's humanity and insecurities, once considered his anchor, were annoying and worrisome; Riddick's instinct and restlessness, once the saving graces she depended on, were now brutal and animalistic.

She didn't know how long this could last; they had never fought this way, something they prided themselves on and the mercs loathed. She would try to talk to him, only to be grunted at; Jack would try to force an answer out of him only to be shooed away by Imam. Being in the same room with him, something that had once caused butterflies and pleasant tingling became an exercise in futility and pain tolerance; being away from him, however, only caused Loneliness to try and break from its restraints. She had wasted so many tears after being shunted time and time again, that she doubted the alcohol she consumed could replenish the missing water in her system. But it was all she could do, so she cried.

He couldn't cry, so he went further into depression, filling his belly with booze and his mind with ways he could have done it 'better.' He pondered on rooftops how his resolve had been weakened and his instinct overridden. He avoided thoughts of the two women in his life; one had caused him to sacrifice while the other sacrificed for him. Neither were ideals he was comfortable with or even remotely familiar with. So instead of dealing with it, instead of reaching out to the woman only meters away that could help make it better, he turned toward the back of the couch. Instead of facing it like he had faced everything else in his life, he did something he promised he'd never do. He ran away.

But she wouldn't let him run forever, her patience was wearing thin and her pain threshold had broken long ago, and she'd be damned if she just let him go. Eventually, the booze fortified her bones and strengthened her will and she confronted him.

"So… Where'd you go?" He didn't even bother to turn his head over his shoulder as he took his boots off; his back turned to her.

"Out."

She sighed, stood up and walked over so she was standing right in front of him, "We need to talk." He didn't even acknowledge her, "Riddick, please." She sat down next to him and leaned against him. His back stiffened; something he hadn't done since the first time she had accidentally fallen asleep against him.

He got up and walked to the bathroom and she curled up against herself and in her own way she was curled against his stoicism, "I miss you…"

"I haven't gone anywhere…"

"So? You don't talk anymore. And it's not like I see you all that much, anyways. You're always gone."

"I'm fine."

She scoffed, hoping to draw him out, "I can see that."

"Then why won't you leave me alone."

She didn't answer immediately, "Riddick, do you hate me?"

"No." He answered without hesitation, but she wasn't sure that was a good thing.

"Then why the hell won't you talk to me? You don't even look at me anymore." She got up, walked over to the bathroom where he stood head hanging over the sink, and laid a hand on his back; he flinched, "I knew you'd have a problem with me saying no, I never thought it be this bad…" She pulled her hand back and backed up.

"I don't hate you, Shay, now leave me alone."

"Prove it." Before she knew it he had her backed up against the bathroom doorframe, and just as suddenly he crashed his mouth down on hers, invading her space and forcibly opening her mouth, as if that alone could prove that he still cared. She wasn't convinced and when he left the bathroom, she slid down the doorframe and curled herself into a ball. "There was a time, Riddick, hell it was only a couple weeks ago, that I would have given anything to have you kiss me like that." He only grunted, "Now I'd give more than that to have you actually mean it." She sadly smiled up at him; a bitter smile, filled with broken dreams and empty promises.

"What's that's supposed to mean?" He seemed unsympathetic but inside he was all emotions. Her every movement called out to him and his body wanted nothing more to cradle her and make it all better, but his brain forbade it, so he didn't move.

"It's like when a guy screws a girl just to prove to himself that he isn't gay. You didn't even want to kiss me; you were proving a point, nothing more."

"You got what you want, why are you complaining?"

A tear slid down her cheek and her hand twitched; his heart sank even lower, "Because that's not what I wanted."

He sighed and sunk into the foot of the bed, "Then what is it that you want?"

"For you to talk to me again; that's all really, I'd give up all the other stuff just to know you didn't hate me."

"I already told you that I don't hate you."

"Then why won't you talk to me? I want to help make it better… I know you're mad, I understand, but I refuse to apologize for wanting to help those-"

"It has absolutely nothing to do with your bleeding heart, now can you drop it?"

"Bullshit."

"What."

"It has everything to do with my 'bleeding heart'… if I hadn't stopped you, we would've left and you would be able sit there and trick your conscience into ignoring Carolyn's death. But I didn't and you can't, so you blame me. My fucking bleeding heart killed the poor woman… If she had just let me go and get you, she wouldn't have died…"

"But then you would have died…" His eyes met hers.

"So?" She stared back; hollow. She got up and moved in behind him, lying down on the bed. He watched over his shoulder before slowly climbing over her, "Get off of me…" she warned, pressing herself further into the mattress under her.

He lowered his mouth over hers; not gently but like he wanted her to read his mind. She pushed him away. "You wanted to talk… I'm ready to talk," he murmured in her ear.

"That's not talking…" she arched an eyebrow at him.

"You don't words to talk… You never have and never will."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You wear your heart on your sleeve."

"Leave me alone."

He kissed her again, rougher, more desperate; trying to communicate the way she did. She responded this time and it went from there. In the morning he would wake, later than he anticipated, pour his heart into her ear for safe keeping and leave. She would wake later and wonder why.

_**Sad-ish ending… I find the whole chapter trite… but oh well… and Riddick's out of character… Sequel will be better promise!**_


End file.
